Adventure, fun and learning. Camp Rise Up is very special experience.

Held on the lush 250-acre rural campus of Camp Ramapo in the Hudson Valley, Camp Rise Up is for young people, ages 12-15, and free to families living in homeless shelters, domestic violence safe houses and other temporary housing.

During a fun, activity-packed week, campers stretch their minds and their bodies. Camp Rise Up is all about exploration and discovery, offering youth the opportunity to learn about their physical development and emotions as well as important practical skills to help them to stay in school and gain employment.

This year’s camp curricula includes workshops, outdoor games and activities designed to foster personal strength, self-esteem and other essential life skills:

  • Wellbeing and personal care including nutrition
  • Healthy eating and exercise, adolescent and sexual health
  • Relationship building and social integration, social
    media, peer pressure and bullying
  • Emotional management skills
  • Social justice
  • Basic financial literacy
  • Wellbeing and personal care, including nutrition
  • Healthy eating and exercise, adolescent and sexual health
  • Relationship building and social integration, social media, peer pressure and bullying
  • Emotional management skills
  • Social justice
  • Basic financial literacy

Counselors in training learn higher-functioning interpersonal skills such as management, empathy, listening, negotiation, etc., that help prepare them for employment.

For information about attending Camp Rise Up, contact Dr. Meghan Miller: mmiller@thefloatinghospital.org

Dr. Meghan Miller, The Floating Hospital’s director of health education, has also appeared on PIX11 News to discuss Camp Rise Up. Watch here!

FAQs

Support a camper

Camp curriculum

Camp Rise Up’s curriculum includes three tracks that students will complete with each returning year.

Year 1: Trek topics (intro to life skills/sexual health)

Courses are designed to provide campers with critical life skills such as self-esteem, consent and healthy communication about sexual activity and choices. First-year campers on this track can also expect to gain in-depth knowledge about sexual health, including anatomy, puberty, and STIs/HIV.

Year 2: Climb topics (social and emotional learning)

Second-year campers focus on social and emotional learning, learning to better understand themselves and their emotions through courses such as mental health, body image, financial literacy and a sexual-health refresher mini course.

Year 3: Rise topics (leadership and professional development)

Third-year campers can expect to cover topics such as empathy, critical thinking and behavior management. This year prepares campers to return as staff at Camp Rise Up and work toward an internship/employment track.

“It brought tears to my eyes when my group referred to me as their big sister. It helped remind me that I can do something important.”

– Camp Rise Up alumna and head counselor, KiAnna Wilson

To donate to Camp Rise Up, please click here or contact Laura Evans at levans@thefloatinghospital.org.

Enjoy this selection of images from Camp Rise Up!

Teachers and Counselors

Teachers and Counselors

(swipe right)

Register a camper

FAQs

Contact us

“I WAS MAD AT MY MOM FOR SIGNING ME UP. BUT, AS THE DAYS PASSED, EVERYBODY STARTED TO FEEL LIKE A FAMILY TO ME.”

At Camp Rise Up, kids living homelessness can exercise, build confidence, and learn about self-care in a beautiful, natural setting. Your generous donation will help send a teen to Rhinebeck, New York for a week of swimming, hiking, and interactive health education classes on topics like communication and consent. For many of these young people, Camp Rise Up represents their first encounter with nature, a positive experience that can shape their health, relationships and future.

$100

Will get a camper a new pair of sneakers for camp and the school year.

$250

Will cover the cost of round-trip transportation to and from camp

$1,000

Will fully underwrite the cost of round-trip transportation, food, lodging, all their necessities and programming for one camper

Stay Updated

Our mission is powered by people like you joining our community.

Follow Us

Platinum Transparency 2023 - Candid
graphic for Federal Tort Claims Act seal