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History
of Dream Street When
brother and sister philanthropists Patty and Billy Grubman founded Dream
Street in 1988, they were impassioned with the idea of creating a unique
camping program where seriously ill children could experience the joys
of summer camp like other children, while still meeting their particular
requirements. Forty-two
campers, forty counselors, and a medical staff of eight nurses and four
doctors attended the first camp. It was held at Jane Fondas ranch in
Santa Ynez, California. Just one year later, the Arkansas program was
started in the beautiful Ozark Mountains National Campground. Within the
next two years, programs were developed and established in Mississippi
and New Jersey. Professionally trained counselors and medical personnel
attend each camp to guarantee each child full participation and
enjoyment in their weeklong summer program. The camp provides a safe,
caring and loving environment for the children to be themselves and
interact with other children while receiving all the ongoing medical
care they require. Today,
Dream Street provides camping programs for over 600 children and young
adults throughout the United States. With the aid of volunteer
counselors, doctors, and nurses, the dreams of many children have come
true. As the Dream Street Camp grew, so did the children. The Dream Street Foundation is proud to offer a very specialized program, designed for young adults, at Canyon Ranch Resort in Arizona. Details of this program can be found on this website on the page titled Our Campers.
The
Dream Street Story
Founded in 1988,
Dream Street provides a customized camping program for children with
terminal, chronic, and life-threatening infirmities.
Over 600 children with cancer, AIDS, cystic fibrosis, leukemia,
blood disorders and other serious diseases are given the opportunity to
enjoy activities that would otherwise be unavailable to them because of
their illnesses. For children who often require medications or treatment
several times a day, summer camp is not usually an option. Dream Street
is able to offer this experience by supplying a complete medical staff
at each camp. A
distinguishing feature of Dream Street is that there are no paid
salaries. Our medical staff, counselors, and volunteers donate their
time and travel at their own expense to participate in our program. Even
the medications are donated. Camping sessions are free of charge to the
children, who are flown in by Dream Street from around the world. Like the camping staff, the Dream Street Foundation and Board of Directors is made up entirely of volunteers. These people create and staff the fund-raising events as well as helping with camp activities. Dream Street has no paid helpers, no posh offices to maintain, and, with the exception of postage, no overhead. All funds go directly to the camping programs. The remuneration these volunteers receive is in fulfilling the dreams of children.
Board of Directors
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