One week that matters

For one Las Cruces foster parent, summer camp has become something she rarely finds anywhere else — a place where her children are welcomed, understood, and given the opportunity to succeed.  

After years of watching her children struggle in unfamiliar settings because of trauma, disabilities and behavioral challenges, she said WinShape Camps became the first program that worked through these difficulties instead of asking her to take them home.  

“It was the first time our kids had been anywhere that somebody had stuck with it through hard things with them,” the parent said. “They worked through it with them so they could reintegrate and be there instead of calling us to bail them out.” 

The parent, whose name is being withheld to protect her family’s privacy, first learned about WinShape camps through Real Life Church while leading a nonprofit that supported foster and adoptive families. Church leaders encouraged her to enroll her children through the camp’s scholarship program, despite her initial hesitation. 

“I was very afraid,” she said. “Our kids have a lot of big behaviors, a lot of trauma and a lot of difficulties in their lives. It was very hard for me to trust anyone with them.” 

Instead, she found a team willing to adapt to her children’s needs while encouraging them to stay engaged, even during difficult moments. 

That approach reflects the mission behind WinShape Camps, a national Christian summer program founded by Chick-fil-A founder S. Truett Cathy and his wife, Jeannette, that partners with local churches to serve families in their own communities. 

Aaron Collier, manager of host development for WinShape Camps for Communities, said the organization chose Las Cruces because of its partnership with Real Life Church and the congregation’s commitment to reaching families beyond its own membership. 

“We care so deeply about reaching kids of all backgrounds,” Collier said. “Real Life Church is really about reaching their community, not just reaching kids within the church.” 

This summer’s Las Cruces camp welcomed about 150 children, offering activities ranging from archery, gymnastics and science experiments to music, recreation and Bible lessons throughout the week. For the foster parent’s children, however, the greatest impact came after camp ended each day. She said they became more willing to join groups, try unfamiliar experiences and regulate emotions in situations that once felt overwhelming. 

For the foster parent’s children, however, the greatest impact came after camp ended each day. 

She said they became more willing to join groups, try unfamiliar experiences and regulate emotions in situations that once felt overwhelming. The confidence they built at camp has since carried into school activities, playgrounds and other group settings that previously caused anxiety. 

“They are able to have big emotions without being out of control,” she said. “They scream and they dance and they yell, and all of those big emotions are okay to have. Then it’s okay to be calm after that.” 

For the foster parent, the experience extends beyond her children’s growth. She said WinShape provides one thing that is difficult to find elsewhere — the confidence that her children are safe, supported and understood while they’re away from home. 

“It really is the one week a year that I can look forward to knowing my kids are going to be safe and loved and successful,” she said. 

She said that peace of mind comes from watching counselors patiently work through challenges instead of giving up when situations become difficult. 

“This is the one place where somebody else holds my babies in a really trusting way.” 

Collier said those are exactly the kinds of lasting outcomes WinShape hopes families take home after camp concludes. 

“We hope they learn something new, make new friends and continue to grow,” he said. “Kids never know if they’re good at something unless they try.” 

Asked what she would tell another Las Cruces parent considering the camp — the foster parent said the experience goes far beyond keeping children busy during the summer. 

“They are really cared for in a special way,” she said. “It’s not just that they’re entertained all day. They are loved.”