The Recreation Council was founded in 1983 to provide individuals with disabilities and their families a central resource for information about the different leisure and recreation activities available to them. They started as a one-stop shop for families to learn about all the different recreational experiences open to and designed for people with disabilities. Over the years, they evolved to include financial assistance to attend.

Recreational activities are where many people not only learn new skills and interests, they also find community, friendship, and belonging. Through a variety of voucher programs for people with disabilities of all ages, the Recreation Foundation helps to cover the cost of these experiences, and additional costs families might need to pay for, specifically personal care assistants.

One of their voucher programs offers assistance with overnight summer camps. A 10-year-old girl who is an SSD student in the Rockwood School District attended summer camp near Springfield, Missouri. The Recreation Council funded almost 50% of the cost. With this reduced cost, the parents of the girl were able to stay close by in Springfield, giving them peace of mind as their daughter had her first nights away from them. 

This camp is for students with special needs and offers the program to students with a specific diagnosis each week. This way, they can have medical professionals aligned with those children’s needs on-site. The student’s mom relayed the experience the family had with the camp. Her daughter attended the six-day camp where she participated in a variety of activities, aided by two adults. As her family spent their days in Springfield, they received updates via a messaging app on their phone.

Her mom is excited by the growth she’s seen in her daughter. Before camp, she had been reliant on her parents for many routine tasks. Now, she has a desire to tend to her own dressing and grooming needs, a newfound sense of the importance of privacy, and is more resilient - trying something three to four times before asking for help. She had so much fun that all she wanted to do was see pictures of herself at camp when she returned home and is hopeful to attend next summer. The girl said, “I loved camp so much because I got to try new activities like Karaoke and feeding the goats. I mostly liked sleeping in the bunk bed.”

The Recreation Council partners closely with SSD. Susan Fleming, the Recreation Council’s Executive Director, spoke about their involvement in agency collaboration meetings, where agencies share information in a roundtable setting, and how they benefit from the updates shared there. The Recreation Council also presents to teachers and families throughout the year to share what’s available through their organization. “We present at the administrative office at SSD, host Lunch and Learns with FACE (Family and Community Engagement), go out to the different schools, and work with the PACs (Parent Advisory Committees). Our partnership gets the resources to families and individuals with developmental disabilities.”