One Heartland has an impressive track record of service to at-risk youth. Annually we serve nearly 700 U.S. children living with HIV/AIDS, significant mental health diagnoses, and other life challenges through summer camp, weekend camp experiences, and life enhancement programming. Thus far the organization has provided more than 7,000 camp experiences to children impacted by HIV/AIDS.
Since 1994, One Heartland has reached more than 70,000 young people at risk for HIV infection through its Journey of Hope AIDS Awareness Programs. The organization’s newest programs, Heartland Partners and Global Heartland, allow One Heartland to utilize its camp facility and expertise in supportive programming to benefit thousands of children around the nation and the world. Committed to collaboration and improving the lives of as many young people as possible, the agency additionally provides technical support to other youth-serving organizations and replicates its program models through our Heartland Shares program.
Camp Heartland: Summer Camp Program
The impact of the Camp Heartland summer program on campers’ physical health, emotional health, attitude and behaviors is measured through quantitative surveys done via telephone, six months after campers returned home. Primary caretakers were interviewed to best assess the longer term impact of the Camp Heartland program and to assess socioeconomic conditions, physical and mental health conditions that the campers were unlikely to accurately self-report.
The survey found that campers who have attended camp longer:
- were significantly more likely to try new things after returning from camp
- had significantly fewer temper tantrums after returning from camp
- were significantly more likely to accept that HIV/AIDS is part of his/her life
Primary caretakers reported:
- Camp Heartland met their expectations “very well”. 98.2%
- This program was "very helpful to my child”. 96.5%
- They would recommend Camp Heartland to others. 100%
