PALS Programs

PALS was created back in 2004! Our founder, Jenni Newbury Ross was just 16 at the time. Jenni has a brother Jason who has Down syndrome. Jenni and Jason wanted to attend camp together. At that time there were many camps for people with disabilities and many for people without them- but not a place where they could BOTH go and build a community of friends together. PALS has always operated on a 1 to 1 pairing model. One Peer Volunteer is matched with a partner who has Down syndrome to enjoy camp alongside of one another. Typically these people are the same age and gender and naturally in the same season of life!

Our model is based on one-to-one pairings between similarly-aged individuals with and without Down syndrome. These pairs are placed together on a team with 4-5 other pairs led by a highly-trained volunteer leader. Teams spend a full week together (7 days, 6 nights) living together in dorms, participating in on-campus activities, taking on new adventures with our off-campus trips, and learning more about themselves and others as they build transformative friendships. Our Mission: PALS creates inclusive camp experiences for people with and without Down syndrome. Our volunteer-led programs change attitudes, transform lives, and inspire a world of belonging. Our Impact: The outcome of our programs results in the transformed perspectives of both Partners and Peers, and PALS is proud of our ability to inspire change and a sense of belonging amongst those who otherwise would never have had the opportunity to experience a fully inclusive community. PALS has participated in two formal evaluations to better understand our impact on participants with and without Down syndrome. https://www.palsprograms.org/pals-impact