Gales Creek Campership Fund Eligibility Policy

The Gales Creek Campership Fund is a resource available to any qualified families who require financial assistance in order to attend a camp session. Every campership application is evaluated on a case-by-case basis by Foundation staff and campership awards are disbursed after eligibility criteria have been met and verified through appropriate documentation. All campership awards are made based on each family’s stated ability to pay.

Gales Creek Camp Foundation uses a two-tiered eligibility criteria system: meeting one or more Primary Criteria automatically makes a family eligible for financial assistance while meeting one or more Secondary Criteria requires a further application review and approval from Foundation staff. This system does not represent a barrier to participation, but rather ensures that the Fund is efficiently utilized to maximize participation for all eligible applicants.

It is integral to the mission and vision of Gales Creek Camp to ensure all kids with type 1 diabetes can attend Gales Creek Camp, and the Foundation staff will work with any family to help make that possible. Please call or email us for assistance at any time (contact info is at the bottom of every page).

Primary Criteria:

A) Federal Poverty Guideline

Any household that is below the federal poverty threshold, as defined by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is automatically eligible for a partial or full campership through the Gales Creek Campership Fund. The income requirements for this criterion are verified through income documentation, such as federal tax returns.

B) Medicare/Medicaid

Any household that qualifies for a federal Medicare or Medicaid program (or a state Medicare/Medicaid program such as Oregon Health Plan [State of Oregon] or Apple Health [State of Washington]) is automatically eligible for a partial or full campership through the Gales Creek Campership Fund. The requirements for this criterion are verified through health insurance documentation, such as Medicare/Medicaid card, statement of benefits, etc.

Secondary Criteria:

A) Foster Child

Children who are in the foster care system are eligible for a partial or full campership upon further review, as these individuals often meet one or more primary criteria by extension. However, because circumstances vary from individual to individual, these cases require review from Foundation staff before application approval. The requirements for this criterion are verified through Department of Human Services documentation.

B) Student or Teen Parent/Guardian

Children with one or more parents/guardians enrolled as a part or full time student may be eligible for a partial or full campership upon further review, with disbursement made after evaluation of the family narrative, household demographic information, and/or interview with the family. The requirements for this criterion are verified through documentation of the academic program and supplemental information gathered through the review process.

C) Supplemental Security Income

Households that receive Supplemental Security Income are eligible for a partial or full campership upon further review, with disbursement made after evaluation of the family narrative, household demographic information, and/or an interview with a parent or guardian. The requirements for this criterion are verified through documentation of any SSI benefits received.

F) Extenuating Circumstances

Households may also be eligible for a partial or full campership for reasons not listed above, such as sudden medical emergency, unexpected loss of a family member, unexpected financial circumstances, experiencing homelessness, etc. These cases do not have a uniform documentation requirement but documentation including proof of WIC, SNAP, or Free/Reduced Lunch Program participation are qualifying documents. Campership awards will be disbursed only after review by Foundation staff.

F) Referral Organization

Children who are referred to Gales Creek Camp through an outside organization or Foundation partner that specializes in outreach to vulnerable or underserved populations are eligible for a partial or full campership upon further review, with disbursement made after evaluation of the family narrative, household demographic information, and/or an interview with a representative from the referring organization.