Sarah Rogers
Meet our new Operations Manager: Molly McCue

Introducing our newest member of the PALS team, Molly McCue!

Molly recently joined the PALS staff as the Operations Manager. In this role, she will oversee all aspects of camp operations, ensuring each program runs smoothly and efficiently!

Meet our new Operations Manager: Molly McCue
Sarah Rogers
Breaking Barriers: Making PALS Accessible to All

At PALS Programs, our mission is to create inclusive camp experiences for young people with and without Down syndrome. We believe that everyone deserves the chance to form meaningful connections, gain independence, and have fun in a supportive and joyful environment. To ensure our camps remain accessible, we are proud to offer a comprehensive financial aid program that makes these transformative experiences available to anyone, regardless of financial circumstances.

Breaking Barriers: Making PALS Accessible to All
Lauren Gibeault
Meet our Residents: Courtney Lane and Kenzie ...

We’re thrilled to announce the newest additions to the PALS staff team—our very first Residents! This new residency is a one year  opportunity for emerging professionals to work closely with our team and gain firsthand experience in nonprofit management, diversity & inclusion, and career development.

Meet our Residents: Courtney Lane and Kenzie Wilson!
Shelby Jones
The Art of Juggling - A Program Lead Story

I’ve never been good at juggling… Or so I thought? After being a Program Lead, I learned that juggling several commitments is manageable with a little bit of planning and all of your heart. If you’ve been thinking about trying something new, take that chance! It may turn into magic!

The Art of Juggling - A Program Lead Story
Jenni Ross
Growing Through the Ages at PALS

One of the most important components of the PALS model is our 1 to 1, peer to peer model. We believe strongly in the power of shared experiences, and we pair people together who can connect at camp but also find common ground in their life stages as well.

Growing Through the Ages at PALS

Leadership

Leadership Summit 2019

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In January, PALS brought 50+ volunteer leaders together for its 2nd Annual Leadership Summit. The weekend started with our summer camp directors arriving a day early for a full 24 hours of learning and strategizing on ways to make Summer 2019 the best weeks of the year for our campers with Down syndrome and their peers.

On the 2nd night, our volunteer ambassadors and assistant directors arrived and spent the next day training on inclusion, personnel, logistics, fundraising, programming, conflict resolution, and sharing their best ideas with each other.

During our 3rd evening together, we were honored to be the first audience to screen The R-Word film, with an amazing Q&A with the director, Amanda Lukoff, immediately following. This movie provided a great message for our leaders on how words matter.

The last day of Leadership Summit 2019 was all about the future of PALS. We spent the final day planning, learning about our research project, and having candid conversations about diversity and inclusion in all forms.

We closed out the summit with our keynote speaker, Kayla McKeon, who shared her passion for advocacy for people with intellectual disabilities. And we followed her speech with testimonials from our volunteers on why they commit to PALS each year.

"PALS has continually given me opportunity after opportunity to be a better me. This family has taught me everything about the type of person I wish to be and motivates me to advocate for inclusion and be an ally for all differences."


These volunteers spent three full days together because they want to create outstanding and transformative experiences for our campers and volunteers. After the summit was over, 85% of the attendees reported that the weekend left them feeling inspired. We are so grateful for their time, energy, passion, and love of PALS.