A 2025 national study by Afterschool Alliance found that parents of nearly 30 million children want access to quality out-of-school time (OST) programs—yet 22.6 million children still cannot get in. That gap is not an abstraction. It represents children who have experienced abuse and/or neglect, children navigating trauma, and children who need a safe, structured environment where trusted adults show up for them every day.

At Camp Opportunity of Maryland, we have been that environment since 1985.

The Evidence Is in Our Model

A recent update to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s foundational report on community programs for youth development confirms what decades of research have shown: OST programs are most effective when they are built on clear program goals, strong adult-youth relationships, and continuous quality improvement.

Camp Opportunity was built on exactly these principles:

A 1:1 camper-to-counselor ratio ensures every child has a caring counselor or adult present throughout their camp experience.
Our Journey Program is grounded in evidence-based practices targeting self-worth, emotional regulation, and self-esteem—the foundational building blocks of long-term wellbeing.
Year-round programming extends our impact beyond the summer, keeping children connected to a supportive community.
Our free overnight camp removes cost as a barrier—a proven deterrent to access that disproportionately affects children from low- and middle-income families.

We are not searching for the right model. We have it. And it works.

The Gap Between What We Offer and What Is Needed

Today, Camp Opportunity operates two weeks of overnight camp each summer, serving 30 children per week — a total of 60 children annually. Every one of those spots is filled. This year, more children qualify for our program than we have the capacity to serve.

The limiting factor is not demand. It is not mission alignment. It is not our model or our team's commitment. The limiting factor is funding.

High-quality OST programs are resource-intensive by design. As researchers at the American Institutes for Research note, sustainable funding must cover not just basic operations, but the staffing, professional development, facilities, and materials that make quality programming possible. At Camp Opportunity, the 1:1 camper-to-counselor ratio that defines our model means we cannot cut corners on people — and we would not want to.

Each week of camp we are able to sustain and grow means 30 more children who have experienced abuse or neglect gain access to a transformative, healing experience.

What Growth Looks Like

The Wallace Foundation's recent analysis of the OST field identifies a clear path forward for programs like ours: sustained investment that allows organizations to scale what works. For Camp Opportunity, the first priority is fully funding the two weeks we already operate — ensuring every child who walks onto our campus has the full, uncompromised experience our model promises. From that stable foundation, expanding to three, four, or more weeks each summer is not a distant aspiration. It is an operational reality waiting on resources.

With increased funding, Camp Opportunity can:

Sustain our current two weeks of camp at full quality, without gaps in operational funding
Add weeks of camp, serving 30 additional children for each week added
Reduce waitlists for children who are already waiting for placement
Invest in staff recruitment, training, and retention to sustain the quality that defines our program
Strengthen year-round programming that keeps children engaged and supported beyond summer

You Can Change What’s Possible for a Child

Camp Opportunity of Maryland has served children in our region for nearly 40 years. We have a proven model, a dedicated volunteer and staff community, and a clear path to expanding our impact. What we need are partners who share our belief that every child—regardless of what they have experienced—deserves a chance to thrive.

Your investment in Camp Opportunity is an investment in the evidence-based, relationship-centered programming that research consistently shows changes outcomes for children. It is an investment in a week of camp that a child will carry with them for the rest of their life.

There are three ways to make an impact:

Make a financial gift to directly fund camp operations and program expansion.
Volunteer with us as a volunteer driver or counselor, you don't support the experience — you are the experience.
Share our mission with funders, community leaders, and partners who may be positioned to invest in expanding access for children who need us.

We are grateful for every person who believes, as we do, that every child deserves a chance to heal, grow, and belong.

Adopt A Camper