Arrow Child and Family Ministries welcomed around 60 kinship families to the annual Kinship Camp, Camp For All. The outing gives caregivers and children a chance to step away from daily stress and spend a weekend focused on fun and community.
“This isn’t just for the kids, this is for the entire family,“ Kinship Caregiver Joe Guzman said. “If you haven’t made it to this camp it is an amazing opportunity for the kids to meet other kids and the parents to come together to meet and talk about some of the challenges and struggles we face.”
Staff members said the time together creates memories that last long after camp ends.
“It’s just like a big gift for our families for them to enjoy some time away from home and do fun activities with their kiddos and have a good time all together,” Case Manager out of Arrow’s Brownwood office Stephanie Marin said. “Being a part of it with them is the best part of it because we get to enjoy it with them.”
Marin said leading a group gave her the chance to see children laughing, playing and connecting.
“What stood out the most is spending time with them and really getting to be one with the parents and the kids,” Marin said. “I was in charge of a group so I got to see the kids have fun and interact with each other.”
For Cassandra Eagle, a clinical case manager at Arrow’s Brownwood office, the camp creates a safe and welcoming space for families.
“The camp creates a time to show our kinship families they’re not in this alone,” Eagle said. “It’s a time to gather with other families who are walking the same journey as them and have fellowship, getting away from the world for a little bit and not having to worry about day-to-day things.”
Eagle said this year’s camp introduced a new structure that encouraged children to build friendships outside their own households.
“This year we did it a little differently than last year as we split them up by ages instead of families so they were able to get out of their comfort zone and see that it’s okay to have and mingle with the community around them,” Eagle said.
As Eagle reflected on Camp For All, she realized there are multiple instances from past and present that have made an impact on the Arrow team.
According to Eagle, a grandmother and grandson’s experience in 2024 showed the impacts of community. The pair were experiencing hardship, on the verge of losing their home. However, at the camp they were able to relax and lean on the other families.
For this year’s camp, Eagle said the best memory is simply seeing the kids have fun with one another.
“To them, it’s not, oh we’re in foster care,” Eagle said. “I know that’s a big stigma in society, but the kids are feeling like they’re a part of something bigger.”
Families said staff members played a crucial role in making Camp For All possible.
“Mr. Wendell went above and beyond in my eyes to help me out with some of our struggles that maybe I can’t speak with other adults about,” Guzman said. “He knew exactly where I was coming from and I will be forever grateful.”
Guzman said the camp setting made a lasting impression.
“There’s more than just one thing, everything from the professionalism, this location, the facility, that’s grandpa’s right and the activities,” Guzman said. “For the staff, it’s geared around making sure the littles have fun.”
Arrow is proud to see the success of this year’s kinship camp. Thank you to all the families and staff who made this outing possible!