2024 Camper Info Hub

All people age 18 and older who attend Hope Heals Camp (whether as campers or volunteers) are required to complete a background check. Great news—if you applied to Camp, you already submitted your background check!

If your background check produces any worrisome results, we will reach out to you. We are committed to maintaining an environment of security, peace, and safeguarding for every single participant at Hope Heals Camp.

Airports: The nearest airport is Birmingham, AL (BHM), which is about an hour south of Camp McDowell. The Atlanta airport (ATL) is about a three hour drive from Camp.

Directions: Camp McDowell is located at 105 Delong Road, Nauvoo, AL 35578. Once you turn from Highway 195 into Camp McDowell, follow Delong Road to the Welcome Center. Turn right onto Speaks Way. Keep driving until you reach Hall Hall on your left, then send one member of your family inside to check into Camp.

Transportation: We aren’t able to arrange individual airport transportation, but we’d bet our lunch money that someone in the Hope Heals Camp Facebook Group would love to give you a lift. Renting a car, or hiring an Uber or Lyft are options, as well!

Arrival: You’ll arrive on the Monday of your registered session between 2 and 4 PM Central time—no earlier, please! We need every last second to prepare for your grand welcome!

Departure: On the Friday of your registered session, we’ll depart between 9 and 11 AM with tears and memories and the happy prospect of no longer eating camp food.

Directions: Camp McDowell is located at 105 Delong Road, Nauvoo, AL 35578. Once you turn from Highway 195 into Camp McDowell, follow Delong Road to the Welcome Center. Turn right onto Speaks Way. Keep driving until you reach Hall Hall on your left, then send one member of your family inside to check into Camp.

Transportation: We aren’t able to arrange individual airport transportation, but we’d bet our lunch money that someone in the Hope Heals Camp Facebook Group would love to give you a lift. Uber or Lyft are options, as well!

Monday

2 - 4 PM Campers Arrive
5 PM Camper Orientation
6 PM Dinner
7 PM Welcome Party

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

8 AM Breakfast
9 AM - 12 PM Worship for Adults and Nursery, Kids & Youth Activities
12 PM Lunch
1 - 3 PM Special Events for Adults and Nursery, Kids & Youth Activities
4 - 5 PM Free Time & Electives
6 PM Dinner
7 PM Special Events

Friday

8 AM Breakfast
9 - 11 AM Pack Up & Departures

While adults Campers enjoy times of worship, teaching, and small group discussion, kids and teens experience a wide range of fun in recreation, crafts, music, and Bible teaching. Afternoons are filled with more playtime for the kiddos and special gatherings for the men and women, plus a few hours dedicated to rest. At night we’ll celebrate together at some amazing parties, eat a lot of good food at the communal mealtimes, and—most importantly—build lifelong friendships with other campers and volunteers.

Each Camper with a disability will be paired with a Compassionate Companion (CC)—a new friend to serve as a helper, encourager, and buddy throughout the week. All children 8 and under (with or without disabilities) will also be paired with a one-on-one Compassionate Companion so Camper parents can rest easy and be fully present during their own programming.

1) Never alone. Every adult at Camp—whether a volunteer or camper—has been background checked. However, to ensure the safety of every participant onsite, a volunteer is never permitted to be alone with a camper under any circumstances. Campers will always be accompanied by a minimum of two volunteers (e.g. their CC and a Flexer ) if they need to leave their group. If you suspect any harmful or abusive behavior, report it to the Camp Director immediately.

2) What’s not welcome. Hope Heals Camp is a place of peace, security, and radical welcoming, but any items or substances that impede our community’s well being are not welcome onsite.. Participants will not bring weapons of any kind (including firearms, regardless of his or her license to carry), illicit drugs, pornography, or tobacco products. Alcohol should not be consumed in the presence of or offered to anyone under the age of 21.

3) Attitudes and actions. Our Hope Heals community boasts the best people on earth, and we want to make sure we act like it. Each participant will engage in the capacity assigned to them by the Hope Heals Camp team. We’re all committed to interacting with one another with the love, purity, and humility reflected in the person of Jesus.

4) Golf cart safety. There will be a lot of golf carts cruising around camp, and as fun as they may look, they are not for all of us! Golf cart transport is for campers with mobility issues who do not use a motorized wheelchair. Only Logistics, Hospitality, Activity, and Medical Crew Members who are 18 and older can drive the golf carts. Golf carts should always be driven slowly and carefully to ensure the safety of our precious cargo.

5) Flexibility and freedom. While campers are assigned to specific age groups and programming rotations, they are free to join the programming that suits them best. Our main goal at camp is to give our campers a refreshing, fun, uplifting experience, no matter what the schedule says! Campers can join an age group for one activity and a different age group for another activity, or go enjoy one of our many alternative options. Heck, they can take a nap, if that’s what their heart desires! CCs will notify their squad leader if a camper decides to participate with another group. A Flexer should always accompany a Camper and CC if they strike out from their scheduled activities.

You may forget you’re not at the Ritz with all these onsite offerings!

All campers will be lodged in private hotel-style rooms with two double beds and a private bathroom. If you requested an accessible bathroom on your application, then we’ve got you covered! All lodges have porches with the most glorious rocking chairs and a common room with a kitchen.

If you are a family of 5 with younger children, we will place you in one room. Please bring a Pack-n-Play or pallet so the littlest member of your crew can “camp out” on the floor!

It’s cute that many of you ask if there’s air conditioning at camp. YES—all buildings and bunk rooms have AC! We are not insane.

A communal kitchen is located on the top floor of each camper lodge. The fridges and freezers are available to store any special food or medication, and they’re stocked with a bunch of goodies just for you! Just don’t tell the volunteers…

Wifi is available in Doug Carpenter Hall, Hall Hall, Phifer Hall, and all camper lodges. You're welcome to surf the Net (as the kids say) and work during your free time. No password required!

Feel free to use the washer and dryers located on the lower level of the camper lodges. You’ll need to bring your own detergent.

Unless you're a lucky AT&T user, cell phone reception at Camp is limited at best. Be prepared to disconnect. Think of it as a digital detox. Or you can go on a signal hunt like the guy on those old Verizon commercials.

Campers: A person’s disabilities effect an entire family systems, not just the diagnosed individual. Hope Heals Campers are people of all ages who either have a physical or intellectual disability themselves, or have a family member with a disability.

Compassionate Companion (CC): CCs are paired one-on-one with a person with a disability to act as a friend, encourager, and helper throughout the week. CCs may also be paired with a typically-abled child 8 or under.

Flexer: To best protect our participants, no volunteer and camper should be alone together under any circumstances. Flexers are available to accompany a camper and CC in the event that they need to leave the group for an alternate activity.

Kids Activity Crew: The Activity Crew occupies hundreds of children for hours each day during morning and afternoon programming. We owe them our deepest gratitude and heartfelt condolences.

Hospitality Crew: The Hospitality Crew brings the beauty and magic to camp through special events, good food, and thoughtful details.

Tech Crew: Our Tech Crew ensures A/V runs smoothly for our worship leaders, speakers, and special events.

Medical Crew: Registered nurses and physicians keep our camp community happy and healthy by treating minor illnesses and injuries. The Medical Crew is not responsible for medication or toileting needs of campers with disabilities.

Logistics Crew: The Logistics Crew gets stuff done around camp. Set up and take down of special events, refilling water jugs, golf cart transportation for campers with mobility issues, audiovisual for worship—they check every box!

Nursery Crew: This team of childcare workers spend mornings and afternoons with disabled and typically-abled children ages 0 to 3 in a loosely structured time of play. They are also the official Nap Cabin Guards.

Prayer Crew: This intimate team will pray in shifts throughout our days at Camp to ask God for safety and healing of hearts. You'll also get to meet with specific volunteers and campers who need prayer most acutely.

Wheelchair Pusher: Wheelchair Pushers are entrusted with one of the most important jobs at Camp—making sure our campers who use wheelchairs travel in style and in safety, while giving their caregivers a much-deserved break!

Contributor Navigator: Each year we have the privilege of hosting Bible teachers, worship leaders, and special performers at Camp. These folks need dedicated hosts to transport them around Camp, coordinate their schedules, and attend to any last minute needs.

You’ll get to know the lay of the land pretty quickly once you arrive at Camp, but for those of you who love to feel extra prepared, you can download a mobile-friendly camp map here.

Comfortable clothes for HOT, HUMID weather

Walking shoes and shoes that can get wet

Rain jacket or umbrella

Reusable water bottle

Bug spray

Sunscreen

Prescription medications & medical devices

Snacks and/or special diet foods

Bible, notebook, and pen

Bathing suit that allows you to wrangle kiddos in a family-friendly fashion

Pool towels

Toiletries

Phones and chargers

Pack-n-Play (for families with babies and toddlers)

Certified service animals are welcome to attend Hope Heals Camp. We want our campers to have what (and who) they need to succeed!

Your service animal should never be left alone or unsupervised (per Camp McDowell policy). It must wear an identifying vest or harness at all times.

You are fully responsible for the care and management of your service animal. If any damage is caused to camp property or the property of another participant, you will be solely liable for picking up the tab and making things right.

By popular demand, we will have inventory from the Hope Heals Shop—and exclusive camp items—available for purchase! Cards, cash, and checks accepted. We recommend bedecking yourself in Hope Heals Camp merch to maximize your experience.