About Our Chapter
Mission
Royal Family Kids’ Camp Mission Statement is to create positive memories for abused and neglected children. We wish to show these kids a side of life where they do not have to be afraid of being abused, abandoned, or denied food. We want to assist them in learning how to succeed in life and teach them that, although they have had a bad beginning, they can have a brighter future.
Vision
Royal Family KIDS Camp fosters resiliency, self-esteem, hope and positive memories. The camp curriculum and activities are woven through the modality of Trust-Based Relational Intervention to ensure our children are experiencing truly life giving activities throughout the 5-day experience. We are building a world free of family-induced childhood trauma.
Value
After working with children who have experienced family-induced childhood trauma, we know one thing: Children are resilient. They are survivors. They are stronger than most adults realize. They can overcome literally years of multiple home placements, trauma, violence and poverty. They will endure a mountain of misery to hopefully come out on the other side with loving families, forever homes and bright futures. The key is the embrace of a community that truly supports them — and more specifically, the presence of one or more adults who builds a trusting, nurturing and supportive relationship with them. We know that through intentional evidence-based programs, we can change the expected trajectory of children in foster care. To put this incredibly vulnerable population on a better path, we focus on creating safe and healthy relationships for the long-term.
Your Chapter Origin Stories
The Lovejoy Royal Family Kids’ Camp in began in 1998. In 2022, we were one of 240 week long camps worldwide. Each camp is designed so children spend an entire week in a campground with the ability to spend time with nature and activities designed to encourage children to be outside and play. The first camp was founded in California in 1985. We are presently sponsored by Lovejoy Family Church of the Nazarene in Lovejoy, GA. In 2015 we added a year round mentoring program for children in foster care.
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Children at Camp in 2023
7
Children in our Mentoring Club
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Children attending our Christmas Event
Volunteer Stories
“The overall effectiveness of Royal Family KIDS camps that I have experienced is that one week at camp can be as effective as 1 year of counseling sessions.”
Becca C. Johnson, Ph.D.
“The thing I like at Royal Family Kids Camp is mostly the pool, then fishing. I get to try new things and I learned how to swim. I also got to go canoeing. And I made new friends . I like the Counselors. That’s why I like Royal Family Kids Camp.”
A camper
“I like this camp because this is my family.”
A camper
“Christian Camp and Conference Association enthusiastically supports the work of RFK Camp. We believe in the power of camp, especially for young people coming from difficult backgrounds. A week away at camp with caring adults who serve as positive role models can absolutely change the trajectory of a young person’s life. RFK Camp provides an environment, program and volunteers well-suited to the unique needs of kids in foster care. Their proven track record of providing quality, life-changing experiences sets them apart as a trusted and effective organization.”
Same Heart, New Name, Bigger Impact.
We are now For The Children and here’s why.
For 30 years, volunteers, churches, businesses, local municipal partners and Royal Family Kids staff have dedicated their time, talent and treasures to help transform the lives of vulnerable children across the US, and world.
While RFK has formally overseen our camps and mentoring programs, the breadth of our work has evolved far beyond these two programs. Today we provide direct trauma intervention, advocacy, fostering, adoption, support to parents, and other crucial wraparound services.
While we acknowledge the expansion of our work across our 252 chapters, COVID-19 has profoundly increased the needs of children and families. Extreme gaps in fulfilling these needs cannot be overstated.
In order to address the systemic issues surrounding child welfare today, our organization must respond.
Consequently, as of November 2020, Royal Family KIDS, will officially be renamed For The Children. This transition will bring clarity to new opportunities, from providing laptops and shoes to needy children, to assisting overburdened social workers, to providing temporary shelter.
The teaching and example of Jesus in caring for “the least of these” will remain our motivation. As For The Children, we are also eager to focus on the systemic issues facing children, around the globe.
