Summer camps give children and youth the chance to build new skills and make lifelong friendships - experiences every kid should have the opportunity to enjoy.
Our Every Kid Counts program helps to make camp an option for every child and young person in Kitchener and Waterloo.
On this page:
Donate
Every Kid Counts provides free 1:1 support for children and youth with disabilities at City of Kitchener and City of Waterloo summer camps. We also offer four weeks of accessible camp for youth aged 11 to 17 (YOUth Sense and All About YOUth Camp). The average cost of a city camp is between $115 to $230 per week. The approximate cost for a week of inclusion support would be $700. Without the Every Kid Counts program, it would cost between $815 and $930 for a child with a disability to attend camp. Our work is made possible by donations and community grants.
With your support in 2023, we were able to:
- provide inclusion support for 135 local children and youth at summer camp
- provide 225 weeks of support for children and youth with disabilities
- hire 39 knowledgeable inclusion support workers to provide inclusion support
- help camp staff implement inclusive strategies and programs
You can donate online or request a donation form from staff. Send us an email if you prefer a paper form.
If you’re using a paper form, please mail your completed form and cheque (payable to City of Kitchener – Every Kid Counts) to:
Every Kid Counts
c/o Inclusion Services
City of Kitchener
200 King Street West
Kitchener, ON
N2G 4G7
Our supporters
We’re grateful to our supporters:
- Canada Summer Jobs wage subsidy
- The Waterloo Region Record - Lyle S. Hallman Foundation Kids to Camp Fund
- Kitchener-Waterloo Ontario Insurance Adjusters Association
- Airboss Rubber Compounding
- Costco Kitchener
- CUPE 791
- Engineering Science Quest
- KCI Leadership Team
- Kitchener Honda
- Kitchener Schwaben Club
- Orthopedic Bracing Solutions
- Whole Hearted
- William Radtke Sheet Metal Ltd.
Request support
Learn how to request support on our inclusion support page.
Camper stories
Here are a few reasons members of our community support Every Kid Counts:
“It means that I can go to camp. If I didn’t have an inclusion worker, it would be frustrating for me. It means I can participate in all the activities like all the other kids.” - EKC participant
"Children can learn important social and communication skills, gain a sense of self-worth, increase self-esteem... all of which are imperative for healthy human development. I would like to congratulate you and your staff for taking the time to consider the needs of both the participant with special needs and their families." - KidsAbility
"Due to Every Kid Counts, summer program have become accessible to children who otherwise would not be able to attend. The whole community benefits when all children can be included." - KW Habilitation
"On the last day of camp, my son asked me if he could go again next year. He's been to 3 other camps in the past, and NEVER did he ask to go again. His inclusion support worker (through Every Kid Counts) made an enormous difference. We are eternally grateful!" - EKC parent
“To say that his camp experience has been exceptional would be an understatement. Every single worker I encountered had such energy and kindness.” - EKC parent