2025 Volunteer Info Hub

Your tuition payment deadline is June 13, 2025.

Your tuition amount and remaining balance can be found on your personalized online fundraising page— check you initial acceptance email for the link. All payments you make and any donations made by friends (and enemies!) via your page link will count directly toward your Camp tuition.

If you’d like to pay your own tuition, simply donate to your own fundraising page. If you’d like to pay your camp tuition by check (payable to ‘Hope Heals Camp’ with your name and ‘Camp Tuition’ in the memo line), send to:

Hope Heals Camp
4279 Roswell Rd NE, Suite 208, #270
Atlanta, GA 30342

If you are contributing toward your own tuition, your payment is NOT tax deductible since you are receiving a “good or service” in exchange for your money. If you donate to another volunteer’s tuition, your donation IS tax deductible. Use that information as you please :)

All people age 18 and older who attend Hope Heals Camp (whether as campers or volunteers) are required to complete a background check. You will receive an email invitation to complete your background check once you submit your application.

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.

Volunteers will arrive a full day before campers for a time of training and team building. To supplement that orientation, we’ve created 5 short, simple training modules to prepare you for an immersion in the world of disability. Hope Heals Camp is a low pressure and gracious environment for learning to build relationships with folks with disabilities, so don’t stress. Review the training decks, but mostly get excited to learn a lot on the job!

You’ll receive a series of training emails in the weeks leading up to Camp, but if you want to get a head start (wow—over-achiever!), you’re welcome to watch our five video modules now!

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 Sunday 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!

Sunday

2 - 4 PM Volunteers Arrive
4 - 9 PM Volunteer Orientation

Monday

7 AM - 2 PM Volunteer Orientation
2 - 4 PM Campers Arrive
5 PM Camper Orientation
6 PM Dinner
7 PM Welcome Party
8:30 PM Volunteer Evening Reflection

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday

7 AM Volunteer Morning Meditation
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
8:30 PM Volunteer Evening Reflection

Friday

7 AM Volunteer Morning Meditation
8 AM Breakfast
9 - 11 AM Pack Up & Departures

One of the most common questions we get is “When will I know about my role at camp?” You'll receive your assignment once you arrive for volunteer orientation! Because of the ever-changing Tetris game of volunteers and campers, role assignments shift really often in the weeks leading up to camp. But don't worry—we take your serving preferences very seriously and promise to place you thoughtfully.

TL;DR: every role at Camp is a win. Even so, our condolences go to all the planners out there. God be with you.

Volunteers age 12 and older will be given a specific role or placed on a Crew. For liability’s sake and per our insurance policy, only adults age 18 or older can be paired as a Compassionate Companion to a person with disabilities.

Volunteer kids under age 12 hang out in the kids programming alongside our campers. This is a great way for volunteer kids to be introduced to our culture of mutual ministry because they get to hang out with new friends with disabilities—which is the first and most important step to building our Hope Heals Camp community!

If you’re attending Camp with a volunteer kid under age 8, you will be responsible for providing a one-on-one caregiver (e.g. a parent, grandparent, older teen sibling, aunt, etc.) who will accompany your child during daily programming at Camp. This caregiver will not receive another serving role at Camp and will pay full tuition to attend.

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!

Hope Heals Camp takes place at Camp McDowell, a beautiful, accessible retreat center in Alabama’s Bankhead National Forest.

Most volunteers will sleep in male or female cabins with bunkbeds and community bathrooms. Volunteers are responsible for their own linens (sheets, blankets, pillows, and towels). You’ll be notified via email if you qualify for private, hotel-style lodging.

Wifi is available in Doug Carpenter Hall, Hall Hall, and Phifer Hall. You're welcome to surf the Net (as the kids say) and work during your free time. Just don’t do anything weird. 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.

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

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.

Pastoral 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.

So you’re attending multiple sessions of Hope Heals Camp. How does it feel to be God’s favorite?!

While multi-session volunteers can go back to civilization between camp sessions, you’re welcome to stay in your original lodging onsite during the interim weekend(s). We’ll have some special meals and gatherings, then we’ll put you to work to reset Camp.

Saturday is a free day—yippee! Hope Heals will provide breakfast, then you’ll be free as a bird for lunch and dinner. Consider popping into nearby Jasper or Birmingham!

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

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

Linens* (twin-sized sheets, sleeping bag or blanket, pillow, and bath towel)

Sweatshirt or sweater (Believe it or not, you might get chilly in the air conditioned buildings!)

*Most volunteers will sleep in shared bunk rooms and will be responsible for providing their own linens. We’ll contact the #blessed participants who will be sleeping in private lodging and will have their linens provided by Camp McDowell.

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.

Please, we beg of you, stay home if you have a fever of 100 or higher or feel any symptoms of COVID-19 (or any other communicable illness) like chills, vomiting, diarrhea, loss of smell and/or taste, persistent coughing and/or sneezing, sore throat or body aches. If you begin feeling symptoms at Camp, don’t be a hero! Let us know immediately so we can whisk you away to your luxury private accommodation (read: quarantine).