About Camp Kudzu

Camp Kudzu's Mission Statement

 Camp Kudzu educates, empowers, and inspires children living with diabetes.

“Until there is a cure, there’s Camp Kudzu.”

Camp Kudzu's Vision Statement

 Creating a supportive community where life with T1D is without limitations – everywhere Kudzu grows.

Camp Kudzu provides programming and community building experiences that succeed in teaching vital diabetes management skills in a fun and medically safe environment for Georgia’s youth living with Type 1 diabetes and their families, empowering them to lead long, healthy and productive lives.

Camp Kudzu also offers the only resident summer camp in Georgia exclusively for children with Type 1 diabetes. More than 750 children attend one of Camp Kudzu’s four week-long summer sleep away camp sessions or, for younger campers, 1-week Sprouts Day Camp.  This portion of our program is the backbone of the work we continue do some 25+ years after our inception as an organization.

Other programs include family camping weekends hosting approximately 30 families each, an adventure weekend for teens and one day programs around the state that include rafting, surfing, trips to the zoo, hunting for pumpkins, catching a game together, nature hikes, and many more .

Why Camp Kudzu?

Delivering health education and diabetes self-management messages creatively to children in a stress-free group environment is a proven method for achieving improved health and wellness. A large volunteer team of medical specialists, including endocrinologists, registered dieticians, physicians and nurses deliver programs that result in campers attaining new levels of ability and independence with skills such as administering insulin, blood glucose monitoring and effective diet regulation. The unique demands placed on the youngest campers, as well as the older teens, are addressed with age-appropriate tools.

Making a Difference...

Healthy and lasting lifestyle habits for children are created through Camp Kudzu experiences, while at the same time forging friendships that will last a lifetime. Children will develop a working understanding of the links between nutrition, carbohydrate counting, insulin dosages, insulin delivery mechanisms, and the effects of physical activity and stress on the disease.

Youth have the opportunity to experience fun and unique recreational activities such as horseback riding, rock wall climbing, kayaking and team sports that they may not otherwise be exposed to if not at camp.

Children in this camp community are encouraged to accept their disease and move away from the denial that strikes so many. Only when acceptance occurs, can a child move on

in life.

We pride ourselves in being a leader in the camp industry and a leader in the diabetes camp industry.  We are proud members of the Diabetes Education and Camping Association (DECA) and our staff often present at the DECA International Conferences.

Additionally, our sleep away camps AND our day camp are accredited by the American Camp Association.  Being an accredited camp states our commitment to following the industry standards on safety, youth development and activities voluntarily to provide a quality camp experience for our participants.