In this program uniquely geared to teens, ages 16-19, who are preparing to transition out of foster care, they enjoy plenty of regular camp activities while learning valuable life skills to help equip them for a promising future.

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Love Fosters Hope created Bridge Camp at the request of participants in our Teen Reach Adventure Camp (T.R.A.C.) program wanting the next step — and in fact, they helped to design the program.

Young people in this age group are either on the brink of aging out of foster care or have recently done so, and they’re profoundly aware of the odds against them as they prepare for life on their own.

We continue to maintain the 2:1 camper-to-staff ratio from T.R.A.C. and all the fun activities, but also integrate classes to help older teens prepare for independent living. Our hope is to better equip each individual to claim the life they deserve and are willing to pursue.

Featured Bridge classes include:

Auto maintenance and ownership, including changing a tire and checking oil, water, and air
Costs involved with owning a vehicle, such as tag, insurance, inspections, etc.
Healthy relationships, and warning signs for unhealthy ones
Cooking lessons
Interviewing for a job
Personality and career assessment
Etiquette
Budgeting
Setting goals
What it means to be a man/woman
… and more!

The last day of summer camp includes a Future Fair, with representatives from local colleges, armed forces, trade schools, etc. A core element of the Bridge experience is to prepare teens for their future and to encourage and inspire those who might not yet have considered all the great possibilties.

At Bridge Camp, each teen is encouraged and celebrated, and the truth is

communicated and reinforced that they are significant, valued, worthy and loved.

We encourage them to stay on track despite all the distractions that can take them off course like drugs, gangs, crime, and

teen pregnancy. We encourage them to focus on their goals because God has a better plan for their lives.

Our goal is for every young person aging out of foster care to either attend college, trade school, or join the military, or be able to

transition into a sustainable job. The result is promising: in a recent camp, 11 teens aged out of foster care in our program; seven

of them (well over 60%) are currently enrolled in a local college!

As one participant observed,

"When I come back to camp, I remember who I am and who I can be."

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