Camp Jump Start

★j g

TLDR; do not send your kid here. when i was 15, my mother signed me up for this camp because she was ashamed to have a fat child. i was sent here without my knowledge or consent. as a former camper, i can confidently say that this camp did the EXACT OPPOSITE of what it tries to promote. this camp encourages unhealthy lifestyles. sure, they might call themselves a wellness camp, but starving children (not giving them a proper calorie deficit) and having them do 15 hours of cardio a day is NOT that. i'm not exaggerating by saying this camp gave me PTSD. i had pre-existing mental health issues going into camp, and came out with an even worse relationship with food and exercise, because they drilled into our brains that HUNGER IS PUNISHMENT and you're not doing proper exercise unless your body is SORE and ON THE BRINK OF COLLAPSE. to say this camp was torture is an understatement. a normal, healthy routine should have you lose 1-2 lbs per week, but they reduced our calorie intake so much and would not allow us to sit other than meals so we'd lose 4-5. THAT'S NOT NORMAL NOR HEALTHY!!!! but they didn't care. all this camp wants to see is RESULTS RESULTS RESULTS so they can have a good image and encourage more parents to send their children here. the counselors here DO NOT care about your child's wellbeing. one day during "free activity", one girl had a HEAT STROKE on the field. and you know what they did? nothing! they just told her to walk it off and drink some water. of course, several other kids and i yelled at the counselors to do something, a girl was SUFFERING. and later on that night, jean yelled at us saying we were the "worst group she's had in years" or whatever. i don't remember her exact words. but all you should know is that she got mad at us for trying to get our friend MEDICAL ATTENTION. i still have so much to say, but i won't make this any longer. please, if you don't want your kid to hate you, DO NOT TAKE THEM HERE!!! so thank you, camp jump start. i had to go to therapy to get a better relationship with food, and it took me 6 years to undo all the damage you did to me.

★★★★★joyce bedard

What my daughter experienced at Camp Jump Start is not only about the weight she lost but about what she "gained" from her time there. She gained self-confidence, high self esteem, emotionally maturity, life long friends and so much more. She was 13 the first summer she attended and she lost 20 pounds in four weeks. She also maintained that weight for an entire year. She went back the following summer not because she had to lose weight but because she wanted to reconnect with her "people" as she called it. She also describes Camp Jump Start as her "safe place". If you have tried everything else (like I had) this is the place for you.

★★★★★Sandy Emerson

This non-profit wellness camp for teens is the real deal! My son requested to attend camp so that he could learn healthy habits and lose weight. He exceeded his own expectations by losing 25 pounds in eight weeks, and another five pounds after camp -- without feeling hungry or deprived. The staff at the camp is passionate about what they do and have made it their mission to empower kids to make positive choices for a lifetime. The kids are in a safe environment as they learn about nutrition and physical/mental health while engaging in fun activities and making new friends from all over the world. A big bonus is that the camp teaches families how to provide the support that the child needs upon returning home. By implementing the strategies and tips from the camp's wonderful dietitian, the whole family has lost weight (I've lost 18 pounds) and we feel fantastic! Camp Jump Start has been life-changing for the entire family. My son has already asked to return to camp and hopes to be a counselor someday so that he can help young people transform their lives. If you are thinking about sending your child here, please don't hesitate!

★★★★★John Beltz

My daughter has gone to Camp Jump Start two years now. The first time she went for four weeks, the second time eight. The lessons and abilities she has picked up are invaluable. This is a Jump Start, as it says. Your child will lose weight and come home happy, but it is up to you as a parent when they come home to continue what they learned at camp and not sabotage your child. It is a hard lifestyle change, but a necessity if you want your child to lead a healthy life. She came home excited and willing to help us with our options and dinner, from portions to healthy recipes, she had a glow about her when she would inform us what a good choice was when it came to food. If you are serious about a lifestyle change and transforming not only the camper, but your entire family as well, this is the place. Jean, Allison and all the Camp Jump Start staff are amazing. By the way, the camp works with everyone, as in my case, who may not be able to afford camp. So the other reviews that state "all about the money," seems really untrue to me. Just my opinion, but the work they do here is amazing and we are fortunate and truly blessed to have our family part of the Camp Jump Start experience.

★★★★★Matt & Tracey Outman

Camp Jump Start is an absolute blessing to those that attend, as well as the families of the campers. We were feeling desperate and scared...we knew change had to happen for our daughter, truly for all of us in the family....and it needed to happen outside of our home. When we found Camp Jump Start we knew it was our solution. The environment of unyielding encouragement, focus on self awareness, positive emotional mantras and the ability to find resilience in herself has changed her. From the very first phone call after one week, we could hear the change in her voice....the hope in her words. It literally brought us to tears. She left camp after 4 weeks, having lost 20 lbs, but looking like she felt 100 lbs lighter, with a spirit of accomplishment that allowed her to know she could do “it”- whatever it was. Jean and her staff at Camp Jump Start truly care about making change, one child at a time. The mission is clear, unyielding, supportive and successful- in so many more ways than numbers on a scale. They have our continued support, gratefulness and recommendation.