Hi PALS Programs community! My name is Bella (she/her/hers), and I’m thrilled to join PALS as the new California Regional Program Coordinator. My passion for residential programming began long before I ever worked at a camp
At PALS Programs, we believe the people who experience our programs should help shape the future of them. This year, we’re excited to introduce two standing committees that do exactly that: our Self-Advocacy Committee and our Volunteer Leadership Committee.
Hi PALS Programs community! My name is Leslie (she/her/hers), and I’m thrilled to join PALS as the new California Regional Program Manager. I’m truly excited to be part of the PALS community and can’t wait to build lasting connections with you all.
Hey PALS Programs family! My name is Matt, and I’m thrilled to have joined PALS as the new Program Director. I’m so excited to be part of this community and look forward to meeting everyone who makes all of this happen. We can’t do it without you!
Hi, my name is Kamille, she/her, and I am excited to be an intern for PALS Programs. I wanted to work for PALS for my internship because I have attended PALS since 2018, and I love being part of this community and this family, and making new memories with new people, and meeting my old friends.
April is National Volunteer Month! We are so grateful for each volunteer who makes PALS possible each summer. Meaghan has been part of PALS for more than 9 years as a paired Participant, Medical Volunteer, and Program Lead. Hear from Meaghan about her life currently and what she is excited about for this summer.
As April is National Volunteer Month, read AD’s reflection on his experience as a volunteer at PALS. AD joined PALS in 2019 and has served as a Volunteer Leader. He is currently a Program Lead this summer at PALS Baltimore. Since volunteering, he has been inspired to run two studies for more comprehensive research about people with Down syndrome.
Jess Trief has been a part of the PALS family for a long time! Back in 2006, her college friend (and PALS co-founder) Jason Toff told her about this camp he helped start that created an inclusive and welcoming environment for people with Down syndrome. And he told her they needed more people to participate as Peers. Jess hadn’t done anything like that before, but she had benefited from her own summer camp experience and decided to go and check it out. “The moment I arrived, I knew that this would be special.”
Emma Gugliotta will be joining PALS this summer as a Peer at PALS New Jersey. She is a new participant and learned about PALS when her family received a Congratulations Project letter. Her brother, Joey, has Down syndrome and her family was thrilled to hear words of hope, joy, and welcome from a participant at PALS. Let’s learn about Emma and what she is looking forward to this summer!
We often ask members of our PALS Family "Why PALS?" to learn how our mission has impacted their lives. This month, we hear the Brightcliffe family's story. Their family has been involved in PALS since 2015 and they look forward to being back at PALS this summer. Here is just one family's story of how scholarship funds make a huge impact.
