Pine Tree Camp awarded 2026 Barrett Foundation grant to support summer camp programs for Deaf youth, young campers
ROME, Maine — Two of Pine Tree Camp’s 2026 summer programs are benefitting from a two-year, $200,000 grant from the Evelyn S. and K.E. Barrett Foundation, according to Pine Tree, in a news release. The Barrett Foundation funds organizations that benefit children in need and these funds will support camp’s Dirigo Experience and Camp Pine Cone programs.
Dirigo Experience is a five-day overnight camp for Deaf and hard of hearing youth ages 7 to 15.
Camp Pine Cone is a fully-accessible summer day camp for kids ages 5 to 13 who are not yet ready for overnight camp.
Thanks, in part, to the support of the Barrett Foundation, Pine Tree Camp’s Dirigo Experience overnight camp will take place August 17 through August 21, according to Pine Tree. There will be four Camp Pine Cone sessions. Campers are encouraged to apply for more than one week of this specialized day camp.
Camp Pine Cone Session Dates:
July 13 - July 17
July 20 - July 24
July 27 - July 31
August 3 - August 7
Applications for Dirigo Experience and Camp Pine Cone open on Thursday, February 5. Full tuition assistance is available. For more information, please visit www.pinetreecamp.org or contact Lori Chesley, Camp Relations Coordinator at 207-386-5993 or ptcamp@pinetreesociety.org.
More about Pine Tree Camp:
Pine Tree Camp, which celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2025, is a program of Pine Tree Society and an American Camp Association-accredited camp for people with disabilities. Every year, hundreds of Maine children and adults with disabilities arrive at Pine Tree Camp in Rome and their lives are transformed. Year-round, campers experience freedom and independence by actively participating in outdoor activities like kayaking, boating, swimming, fishing, hiking, biking, archery, snowshoeing and cross country skiing thanks to Pine Tree Camp’s 285-acre, fully-accessible campus on North Pond. Full tuition assistance is available. Since 1945, no camper has ever been turned away due to their ability to pay. www.pinetreecamp.org

