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Camp Joy Scholarship Program

We see you - the long days, the constant care, the love, and the invisible load you carry. The Camp Joy Scholarship Program, currently focused on honoring caregivers, is our way of saying you matter, too.

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For both of us, this is deeply personal.


Monique cared for our mum through the long, exhausting journey of dementia. Marea has spent decades caring for her son, who lives with Down Syndrome, autism, and epilepsy. We’ve both felt the joy and privilege of caregiving, and also the emotional, physical, and financial strain it brings. It’s constant, often unseen work that stretches into every hour of the day. We know how hard it is to step away, and how rare it is to have space to rest, reconnect, and simply be yourself.

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Our Camp Joy Scholarship Program offers one fully-funded spot at each retreat for a woman who is a primary caregiver to someone with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, whether as a parent, family member, or through her profession. With limited capacity to review applications at the moment, we’re focusing on one opportunity: our Zihuatanejo, Mexico retreat from February 28–March 6, 2025.

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We know that caregiving is often invisible, constant, and deeply meaningful work - and that those who give so much often have the least time and space for themselves. This grant is our way of offering rest, renewal, and joy in a beautiful setting among like-hearted women.

Program Overview

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What's Included

  • Full retreat tuition (accommodation, meals, activities, and Inner Joy program)

  • A private or shared room, depending on the retreat location

What's Not Included

  • Travel to/from the retreat pick-up

  • Travel / personal insurance

Who Qualifies?

  • The Camp Joy Caregiver Grant is open to women who are actively providing primary care to someone with physical and/or cognitive disabilities. This may include:

    • Parents or guardians caring for a child with disabilities

    • Adult children caring for aging parents

    • Partners, relatives, or friends providing ongoing care

    • Professional caregivers in roles that require significant emotional and physical commitment

  • This grant is needs-based. It is intended for women who would truly benefit from the rest, renewal, and connection of Camp Joy, but would not otherwise be able to attend without financial support.

  • We welcome caregivers from all backgrounds, cultures, and stages of life.

  • If you are unsure whether you qualify, we encourage you to apply and share your story—we review each application with compassion and care.

Who Does Not Qualify?

  • While we wish we could welcome everyone, the Camp Joy Caregiver Grant is reserved for a very specific group. You may not qualify if:

    • You are not currently providing ongoing care to someone with physical and/or cognitive disabilities

    • Your caregiving role is occasional or short-term (e.g., occasional babysitting, temporary support after surgery)

    • You can comfortably afford to attend Camp Joy without financial assistance

    • You are seeking funding for travel or travel insurance only (the grant covers retreat tuition but not these expenses)

    • You are under 18 years of age

    • You are applying on behalf of someone else without their consent

  • We know the definition of “caregiver” can be broad. This grant is focused on those whose daily lives, energy, and emotional bandwidth are significantly shaped by their caregiving responsibilities—and who would not otherwise have access to a restorative experience like Camp Joy.

How Do You Decide?

  • Choosing just one recipient per retreat is never easy—we know every caregiver’s story matters.

  • Our selection process focuses on three main things:

  • Caregiving role – You are actively providing ongoing care to someone with physical and/or cognitive disabilities, either as a parent, family member, friend, or professional.

  • Financial need – You would not be able to attend Camp Joy without financial support.

  • Readiness and ability to receive – You are open and able to step away from your caregiving role for the week to focus on your own rest, renewal, and joy.

  • At this stage, our process is subjective. We review every application with compassion and confidentiality, considering the unique details and spirit of each story. As the program grows, we will enhance and formalize our selection criteria to ensure even greater transparency and fairness.

  • We also reserve the right to confirm any details provided in your application.

  • While we can only offer one grant per retreat right now, we keep past applications on file in case new opportunities arise in the future.

  • Our goal is simple: to select someone whose current season of life would be meaningfully and positively impacted by the space, connection, and support of Camp Joy.

What Are The Timelines?

  • We know that for caregivers, time to plan is essential. Our goal is to make grant decisions at least six months before each retreat so the recipient has plenty of time to arrange care, organize travel, and prepare to step away.

  • Typical timeline:

    • Applications open: Year-round

    • Application review: Ongoing

    • Decision made: ~6 months before the retreat start date

    • Recipient notified: Immediately upon selection

  • If you apply for a retreat that’s less than six months away and we haven't announced the recipient, we’ll still review your application—but please note that the time available to make arrangements will be shorter.

  • We encourage you to apply early to allow us to give your application the fullest consideration possible.

How Do You Decide?
Who Qualifies?
What Are Your Timelines?

If you have questions or want to stay in the loop as we add retreats, please reach out!

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