Camp
Empower
Camp Empower is a hands-on, research-based day camp where movement is celebrated, emotions matter, and neurons fire and wire together! It’s where science and faith meet to help children grow emotionally, socially, and cognitively.
To make Camp Empower available to more communities, we partner with churches, organizations, and non-profits to host these transformative camps—and Bridge Educational Services is here to guide and support you every step of the way.
Camp Empower Structure
Our approach transforms how children understand and engage with their world. This engaging day camp combines emotional, motor-sensory, and cognitive learning through hands-on activities that make growth fun and meaningful. Campers rotate through nurture, sensory, and brain game stations that connect the dots between modern science, faith, and everyday achievement — helping children build confidence, resilience, and joy in learning.
Nurture Groups
A safe space where children build emotional connections and trust. We create environments that support healing and growth. Nurture Groups are more about experience than education. They are designed to teach with experience, rather than instruction or lecture. The activities are designed to help the caregiver, and the child connect and nurture their relationship. Children will participate in activities that promote attachment and bonding. You will be introduced to new activities that encourage connections and practice these exercises one-on-one with the child. You will learn some Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) connecting strategies and catch phrases or scripts that will serve as reminders. You will also work on self-regulating behaviors.
Sensory Groups
Hands-on experiences that help children process and integrate sensory information. We guide them toward better self-regulation. Sensory groups are designed to create a sensory-rich environment that helps children understand their body and how it processes the world around them. Children will participate in sensory rich actives that help them self-regulate, express emotions, and become more self-aware by using their senses.
Brain Games
Provide children with a fun, hands-on way to boost thinking skills. Campers play engaging cognitive games designed to strengthen working memory and visual-auditory processing, helping them improve focus, problem-solving, and overall learning ability. These activities support executive functioning — the mental skills that allow kids to think clearly, process information, and tackle challenges with confidence.
Movement
Physical activities that support motor skills and body awareness. We help children understand their physical capabilities.
Partners in Every Child’s Success
Camp Empower is staffed by licensed counselors and educators who lead the activity groups, supported by volunteer Camp Buddies (ages 17+) who partner one-on-one with campers. Together, staff and volunteers ensure every child receives individualized attention, guidance, and encouragement throughout the day.
There is typically one Buddy to every Camper and one Staff to every five Campers.
Licensed Professionals
Campers are children ages 7–12 from adoptive, foster, and/or learning-different backgrounds. Campers rotate through four intentionally planned groups: Nurture, Sensory, Brain Games, and Movement.
Each group is led by a licensed counselor or educator trained in trauma-informed, cognitive-focused care, ensuring a supportive and engaging learning environment.
Buddies
Buddies are volunteers ages 17 and up who partner one-on-one with campers. Buddies are interested in learning about the integrated mind and enjoy working with children who learn and behave differently.
Buddies complete a required four-hour training (in-person or online) covering sensory-motor, social-emotional, and cognitive development, with a focus on how these areas are implemented at camp.
Parents
Parents play an important role in Camp Empower. Staff host a parent training session to introduce the tools and strategies campers are learning, helping families bring these practices home. One-on-one meetings are also offered, giving parents the chance to discuss their child's progress, ask questions, and receive individualized guidance to support their child's growth. While not required, participation is highly recommended to maximize the impact of camp for both children and families.
We Need Hosts!
Bring Camp Empower to Your Community
As a church, organization, or non-profit, you have the power to make Camp Empower possible in your community! By hosting, you create a space where children can grow emotionally, socially, and cognitively—and Bridge Educational Services will partner with you to make every step easy,
organized, and transformative.
For a total cost of $9,000 plus travel expenses, your site can host a full, hands-on day camp experience for 15 campers from your community, supported by 15 volunteer Camp Buddies and 3 runners/camp shadows. The camp comes fully equipped with all supplies, T-shirts, and the on-site guidance of 3 Lifeline Camp Empower Team members. Families receive a 1½-hour parent training, while Camp Buddies participate in 4 hours of online training and 1½ hours of live preparation. The package also includes a Camp Empower Manual and ongoing follow-up support to ensure lasting impact.
If your site has qualified educators, social workers, or therapists (PT/OT), you can also choose our Train-the-Team program for $1,500 plus travel. This includes a 2-day live Camp Empower training with 1–2 Lifeline team members, the Camp Empower Manual, and continued guidance—equipping your team to bring Camp Empower to life in your community year after year.
Connect
Questions?
Reach out to learn more about Camp Empower and how to host one in your
community!
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James 1:27 identifies God's plan for the church. Lifeline exists to equip and mobilize the church to protect and care for the most vulnerable human life, children.
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