Hearty Roots is built upon the magic of meeting kids where they're at, and their July Sunbeam Camp was no exception for nine local kids. Designed as a summer opportunity for children with physical or neurological barriers, Sunbeam Camp offered a week of fun and adventure on Knickerbocker Lake, which allowed the campers access to the waterfront and the YMCA's Baldwin Center. This home base provided the structure for social-emotional learning, swimming, paddle boarding, and creative expression time for the campers. This inclusive, supportive camp provided an opportunity for kids to play in the woods, make new friends, and experience the simple pleasures found in summer camp that aren't typically available to kids with neurodivergence or limited mobility. In the Closing Circle, a reflective time of gratitude built into every Hearty Roots experience, participant Chloe Joneth, 14, said, “When I care for myself and my world, everything grows and blossoms. I love having Hearty Roots."

Hearty Roots is proud of their unique offerings and wants to expand the resources they offer kids and families in our community, particularly for local youth who may not benefit from a traditional summer camp model prevalent here on the Midcoast. “The unique space that our amazing and dedicated instructors created at Sunbeam truly offered campers the opportunity to show up as their whole selves, grow confidence to learn new skills, and thrive in a summer camp setting that historically isn’t offered in our community,” says Deputy Director and Instructor Jess Donohoe. “Witnessing Sunbeam campers paddle board for the first time, challenge themselves on the low ropes course, and find joy within themselves and within new connections reinforced how fundamental our program is. There’s no doubt that Sunbeam will continue as an integral part of our growing program offerings and I’m grateful to be a part of it!”

Sunbeam Camp allows kids to foster independence, acknowledge self-worth, dig deep into their grit and resilience and beam with smiles. As part of on-going fundraising and a forthcoming capital campaign, Hearty Roots aims to secure land in Midcoast Maine for a permanent home base, while developing deepened summer and year-round offerings for the local kids who need it most because every kid deserves a chance to “get off the grid and into their heart,” a mission taken seriously in all Hearty Roots programming.