For children living with Type 1 diabetes, camps designed specifically for their medical needs offer community, confidence, and a safe place to learn and have fun. Diabetes Youth Families’ Bearskin Meadow Camp—located in California’s Sequoia National Forest—has provided this sense of safety and belonging for children, teens, and families affected by diabetes for decades.

Direct Relief has supplied the camp with more than $130,000 in essential diabetes management materials since 2013. Recognizing the increasing frequency of power outages caused by high winds, storms, and public safety power shutoffs, the organization expanded its support in 2024 through a Power for Health initiative grant to install a 12-unit battery backup system.

The system powers the medical center and kitchen, helping safeguard insulin, food, and critical device charging—an essential protection for the camp’s remote location, where power disruptions are frequent.

With this added resilience, campers and staff can focus on creating lifelong memories and building community within an often-isolating disease. Direct Relief staff visited during the summer session to document the impact, and the resulting video offers a visual look into the magic and transformational experiences had at Bearskin Meadow Camp.

Over the past five years, Direct Relief has provided more than $3.5 million in donated medicines and supplies to kids’ camps around the U.S. In 2025, Direct Relief supported 115 camps, serving more than 18,000 campers.