Our Mission

To afford children with special needs the opportunity to attend summer day camps in integrated settings.

The Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation enables children with special needs in the New York Metropolitan Area to experience summer camp. By partnering with existing accredited camps, the Foundation affords families the ability to send children into integrated camp settings.

The Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation believes that every child deserves the opportunity to participate in a safe, caring, and fun learning environment. The Foundation’s primary goal is to allow each child to build self esteem and friendships through integrated camping environments.

The first Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation camp program was launched in 2003 at the Cross Island YMCA in Bellerose, New York and was an enormous success. In developing this special camp, Jean Dattner, the Cross Island YMCA’s Special Populations Director, realized a lifelong dream to serve an unserved population in the community, and will continue to provide her vision and leadership to the camp in the years to come.