Open Hearts Family Camp
For the Whole Crew

Get Information

Everything you wanted to know about Open Hearts Family Camp

  • Family Camp is a chance for the whole family to enjoy Summer Camp together!

    The Open Hearts Camp serves campers who have survived open heart surgeries and procedures. Family Camp is a chance for everyone to come have a blast and meet other families.

  • Your whole immediate family is invited to Open Hearts Family Camp!

    Some families bring parents / caregivers, brothers and sisters, and maybe a close family member (Aunt, Uncle, or Grandparent) depending on each family.

    We’ll discuss with you your family dynamic and help decide who will come to camp.

  • Each Open Hearts Family Camp Session invites up to four families.

  • Families sleep in our bunk cabins. Each cabin can accommodate two families as well as some of our counselor staff.

    Cabins are air conditioned and include bunk beds and single beds (sheets not provided), bathrooms and showers.

  • Yes! Every family can attend Family-Camp 100% free of cost.


    We ask for a donation to support our operations and programming, which is 100% optional.

    The Open Hearts Camp is here for you and your family.

  • We don’t want to spoil the surprise and fun of Open Hearts Camp, and here are a few things your family might expect:

    Pool parties, Campfires, Off-camp adventures, Movie night, Games, and some meal time surprises.

    The Open Hearts Camp prides itself on inclusive activities that are tailored to our campers’ needs. Nobody is every excluded.

  • Our camp is staffed with a full time 24 hour nurse, a summer director, and six counselors (3 male, and 3 female).

    All adults (camper families, and staff) that come to camp go through background check screening for criminal and sexual offence conviction histories.

    Our camp is American Camp Association accredited and completes a permit process through the Great Barrington Health, Building, and Fire Departments every year.

    We pride ourselves on safety.

  • Families at Open Hearts Family Camp are in charge of their child’s medicine needs. All medications are kept in private family lockboxes and stored in the nurses office. Our nurse is available to support parents and to take care of the health and safety of all people at the Open Hearts Camp.

  • The Open Hearts Family Camp can accommodate a wide range of ages. Depending on the family needs we can accept children younger than 8 and adults into their elder years.

    The camp is over 60 years old many buildings on the property are over 100 years old. As such, not all buildings are ADA accessible and an individual with mobility challenges would not be able to navigate the camp property.

    We are working to update and renovate our spaces with the goal of being fully ADA accessible, we are not there yet.

  • Our camp has a full time chef, who just happens to be a former camper! Hannah attended the Culinary Institute of America and serves camp classics.

    Family Campers are served three meals a day (Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner), as well as snacks between meals. Frequently Hannah will also prepare special treats. We always include vegetables and fruit with every meal.

    If you or a family member has a dietary restriction or allergy Hannah will take great care to ensure safety and variety within the served foods.

    She is able to accommodate all kinds of diets, and we will discuss your family’s dietary needs. We know some kids (and big kids) are choosy eaters and are confident your family will enjoy the food at camp.

  • In summer of 2026 we were thrilled to offer three Open Hearts Family Camp sessions!

    We are also working on establishing diagnosis specific family camps and will have more information soon.

    Open Hearts Family Camp session dates are tentatively: (Dates subject to change)

    The 2026 camp season dates are:
    Family Session 1: Friday June 26 - Monday June 29
    Family Session 2: Tuesday June 30 - Friday July 3
    Family Session 3: Sunday August 2 - Wednesday August 5

Learn More Directly from the Executive Director of the Camp

Open Hearts Family Camp Mom
(2024)

“It was incredible for Our child to meet other kids and grown up kids (counselors!) who had the same heart condition as him (single ventricle).

Prior to camp he had never met anyone with his condition. It’s not an understatement to say his time at camp was life-changing.

My husband found so much hope in meeting counselors who have the same condition as our son.

The counselors are amazing people!

I am just so grateful to have had the opportunity to go to family camp. It was beneficial for us to experience with our son prior to him going to camp on his own.

Without this experience I think he might have had too much anxiety to go somewhere new. Because of the experience he knows what to expect, has relationships with the counselors and is SO EXCITED to return! It was an amazing family experience, it is sure to be the highlight of the summer for all of us..”