Mission
The chalk is ready. The volcano supplies are stocked. And the countdown is on.
In just a few short weeks, RMHC Toronto’s playground and courtyard will once again fill with colour and laughter as our beloved summer camp returns — a season of joy, designed just for the children and families staying with us.
By 10 a.m., the chalk drawings will have taken over the playground courtyard — swirls of colour spiraling from tiny hands. A volcano will be erupting just beyond the playroom doors (lemon juice and baking soda, don’t worry), and a group of kids will be gathered at a long table, threading beads into bracelets while a camp counsellor reads out silly trivia.
It’s not here just yet — but we’re already preparing. And it’s the best kind of anticipation.
For kids who’ve spent the school year in and out of appointments, facing challenges no child should have to face, camp is a promise of something brighter. Something normal. Something fun.
Here at the House, summer has found a foothold. It’s a summer carefully created for children who need something a little different. Many are patients. Others are siblings. All are navigating the reality of medical care far from home.
But here, for a few hours a day, the heavy parts of life take a back seat.
There are bubble experiments with visiting scientists. There are museum adventures with real fossils and clay dinosaurs. There’s sushi-making, silly singalongs, stop-motion animation, even the occasional guest magician. The program — run by our incredible educators and program team and accredited by the Ontario Camps Association — flexes and adapts to every camper’s needs, offering safety, support, and joy at every turn.
Some children have energy for everything. Others just want to sit quietly and paint. All are welcome.
“Even in the middle of treatment, this is what brings him joy,” one parent shared. “Camp gives him back a piece of childhood — and for a few hours, he gets to just be a kid.”
Parents get a rare gift too: the comfort of seeing their child laugh after a long night at the hospital. A few hours to breathe. A community that understands.
And the children? They get what every child deserves in summer: freedom, friends, fun.
“These kids have been through so much,” says Ethan O’Reilly, Programs Manager. “Camp lets them just be who they are — loud, quiet, silly, messy. We meet them there, and we build from joy.”
Inside the House, the walls will fill with their art. Their names will go up on the camp leaderboard. There’ll be a jar full of kindness notes. There’ll be sunscreen on every windowsill and laughter in every room.
And outside, the city will keep humming. But here, something special is about to unfold — a kind of childhood preserved, just when it’s needed most.
You Can Help Bring the Joy to Life
Camp at the House is free for every family who stays with us — powered entirely by generosity. And this summer, thanks to a matching gift from Saputo, your donation will be doubled — up to $50,000.
That means every splash, every spark of imagination, every smile is twice as powerful.
Help us get ready. Help us keep the joy going, all summer long.