What is a host family?

A host family cares for one of Camp Dickensons' summer staff who come from another country. 

What does a host family do?

First and foremost, provide a space where these staff can call their own for the summer. A guest bedroom or something similar where these young adults can go on the weekends to get out of the camp bubble. A little WiFi, a place to do laundry, a home-cooked meal, and a place to lay your head that isn't a camp mattress goes a long way.

Who are these staff?

We work with the placement agency CampAmerica to find and select individuals to join our staff team for the summer. All international staff are at least 18 years old, and they go through multiple interviews, reference checks, and background checks prior to being hired. During the week, they are camp counselors working directly with the kids in the summer camp program.

Why do these staff need host families?

These young adults leave their homes, their families, and everything else familiar to them to travel to America (often for the first time!) to spend their summer doing ministry work. A host family can support them by being those kind older adults that make sure they feel cared for while they are far away from home. The number one reason international staff are not successful is homesickness!