Wondering what it’s like to volunteer with our partner Camp Noah? Read on to learn from Claire Humphreys, a Child Life Disaster Relief member and child life student who volunteered with Camp Noah last summer.
We expect to have specific dates/locations for Camp Noah summer 2020 soon, in the meantime, we are recruiting volunteers in North and South Carolina, Florida, and Ohio. Click here to learn more: https://childlifedisas.wpengine.com/get-involved/opportunities/camp-noah/
This past August I volunteered in Sargent, TX, with Camp Noah, a camp specifically designated for children impacted by disaster. This community had been greatly impacted by Hurricane Harvey. While there, I worked alongside community volunteers to put on the camp in a local church where we hosted children ages 6-11 years old for the week. During the week, we learned about preparing for disasters and building resilience. We also talked with the children about healthy ways to deal with their feelings and things they can do to make themselves feel better. One of my favorite things was to lead all of the children in deep breathing and relaxation activities.
Throughout the week, the children created many pieces of meaningful art and things to take home with them. They also created a collaborative poster of artwork to put in the community as symbols of hope for the locals. The children loved daily skits and the beloved “Noah” character who interacted with them throughout the day. Another highlight of the camp was the talent show we did on the last day. The children were able to perform as a class, with groups, and individually. Many parents and caregivers attended the show and the children had so much fun performing for them.
Overall, I had a wonderful experience as a volunteer with Camp Noah. It was impactful to hear the experiences shared by the children and see them learn and process throughout the week. Seeing the children make connections with each other and find hope in their experiences made all of the hard work worth it. As a child life student, I learned so much by working with these children and hearing their unique stories. This experience provided me with a valuable opportunity to grow in my own skills and work collaboratively with others as a team.
– Claire Humphreys