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Everything You Need to Know About Camp Big Heart

Camp Big Heart is an overnight summer camp designed specifically for campers with special needs. Here you’ll find details about what camp looks like, who can attend, how to apply, and answers to our most common questions.

Apply for Camp
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About Camp Big Heart

Select your session below for information about drop-off, pick-up, packing essentials, and more. We can’t wait to see you at camp!

Week 1

Sunday June 7th through Friday June 12th

Week 2

Sunday June 14th through Friday June 19th

Because Every Camper Deserves a Week of Joy

Camp Big Heart is committed to staying one of the most affordable overnight camps for children and adults with special needs. 

A full week of camp costs only $300 per camper, but many families still struggle to afford even a portion of that fee. 

Many of our campers receive financial support, with many of them receiving full scholarships through our Campership Fund. Your sponsorship makes those scholarships, and camp itself, possible.

Download scholarship PDF application

Voices of Impact

Camp Big Heart has been life-changing for our daughter Ily on the autism spectrum. The camp gave her incredible tools for taking trips, independence, and self confidence. She had an amazing adventure and couldn’t wait to put it on her visual calendar for next year. We’re so grateful to Camp Big Heart for an experience we never knew existed and for the wonderful friendships she created. Thanks Camp Big Heart! - The Kearney’s

Tiffany Kearney (Parent)

A young girl in a red tank top and matching headband smiles and cheers with her fists raised while sitting at a table in a dining hall.

Camp Big Heart has been a part of my life for about half of my life. I began as a volunteer, was a unit leader, an activity leader, and now I have the opportunity to serve as support staff. At a very young age, CBH showed me my passion for working with individuals apart of the special needs community. It has given me the chance to advocate for inclusivity in all aspects of life - even at summer camp! It brings me so much joy being able to help our campers have the best summer every summer, especially those who have returned year after year. Being a part of the staff for CBH has not only allowed me to serve others but has also given me countless memories, experiences and opportunities that I will cherish forever. I aspire to share my love for CBH with others in hopes that they will love it as much as I do!

Dakota Harris (Staff)

A woman in a red jacket and a man in a grey shirt work together at an outdoor table to fill out a colorful "Tug of War" tournament bracket with markers.

I just love being here at Camp Big Heart, I feel like i’m at home, this is my form of respite

Logan (Camper)

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What Camp Big Heart Looks Like Day to Day

During a week at Camp Big Heart, campers are placed in cabins with peers of similar age and ability. Each day is filled with a mix of structured activities, free time, and plenty of breaks.

Campers enjoy things like:

  • Arts & crafts and music
  • Swimming and water activities
  • Adaptive sports and games
  • Nature exploration and science activities
  • Theater, talent shows, and dances
  • Theme nights, campfires, and more

Every schedule is designed with flexibility, visual structure, and support so campers can participate at their own pace.

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Three smiling people, including a young man with his arms crossed in the center, pose together outdoors in swimwear.
A person in a long-sleeved orange shirt splashes into the landing pool at the bottom of a large, colorful "Tiki Plunge" inflatable water slide.
A group of people sitting around a long wooden table indoors, playing card games and socializing.

Who Can Attend Camp Big Heart?

To keep camp safe and successful for everyone, we follow specific eligibility guidelines. Camp Big Heart is designed for:

  • Campers with special needs
  • Ages 12–60 (youth, teens, and adults)
  • Ambulatory campers who can move around camp with or without adaptive equipment
  • Campers who are bathroom independent
  • Campers who can manage basic self-care (like dressing, bathing, and eating) with supervision and minimal assistance
Apply for Camp

We may not be the best fit for campers who:

Have medical, hygiene or behavioral needs that require a higher level of support than we can safely provide in a camp setting

To keep camp safe and successful for everyone, we follow specific eligibility guidelines. Camp Big Heart is designed for:

Camper & Family FAQs

What are the dates for camp?

• Session One will be Sunday, June 8th to Friday, June 13th, 2026, for children and young campers.

• Session Two will be Sunday, June 15th to Friday, June 20th, 2026, for adult campers.

• Civitan International is an association of community service clubs founded in 1917 in Birmingham, Alabama. Civitan aims to build good citizenship through service to community needs with an emphasis on helping those with developmental disabilities. In fact, Civitans were some of the first to provide specific training to teachers of developmentally disabled children.

• Camp Big Heart was founded by members of the Georgia Civitan District, and many generations of civitans and junior civitans have volunteered here over the years. To this day, the Camp’s Board of Directors is exclusively made up of Civitans.

Camp fee is $600 per camper/week, adults and youth.

Camp Big Heart is proud to be one of the most affordable camps of its kind in Georgia and in the Southeast. Incredible community generosity and a devoted staff help us deliver camp at an unbeatable price. If you are concerned about the price of camp, please reach out to us. We may be able to point you toward scholarship opportunities.

• We have a medical team of nurses, nurse practitioners, and physicians who are experienced with working with our camper population. They work out of our on-site medical lodge and there is always someone on call in the medical lodge.

• Our medical staff will store prescribed medications in the medical lodge. Our counselors will bring campers to the medical lodge for their meds as needed.

Our campers range in age from 12 to 60 years.

  • Session One is children and young adults.
  • Session Two is adults.

Most of our funding comes from camper fees and the Civitan Clubs of Georgia. The rest of the funding to run and improve camp is made possible by donations.

T-shirts will be given to campers at Camp and are included in the cost of attendance. T-shirts from previous years will be sold on the day of arrival.

Please contact our administrator, Donna Hunter. She will be happy to answer any additional questions that you have. Her contact information can be found on our contact page.

• Increased physical activity participation
• Increased peer interactions
• Friendship Development
• Increased self-confidence
• Positive camper feedback