Coalition for the Homeless has operated Camp Homeward Bound, the first summer sleep away camp designed specifically for homeless children, since 1984. We offer youth living in New York City's homeless shelters the chance to be children and the adventure and fun that all children deserve.  Campers experience a summer filled with friends, learning, exploration, and growth.

Camp Homeward Bound offers three 16-day sessions at its beautiful location in Harriman State Park and serves 300 homeless children from city shelters each season. 

The mission of Camp Homeward Bound is to provide homeless children with a respite from the chaos of homelessness and the opportunity to shed the often-confining labels which relatives, case workers, neighbors, peers, and teachers may have given them.

Campers learn that people care about them - that honesty, consideration and fair play are real and do exist in their world. We emphasize participation rather than winning and aim to strengthen campers’ self-esteem and resilience. Each child is helped to recognize, develop and increase his/her own special abilities and learns to use those abilities to address challenges they face. We treat each child equally while also recognizing that every child is unique.