Unique Summer Camps & Outdoor Educational Experiences for Underserved and Houseless youth & families in LA County

It is our belief that ALL children in los angeles, regardless of economic background, deserve a wonderful, enriching, creative & educational summer experience!

The CLF started inviting Underserved Youth & families Living in homeless shelters and agencies serving them since the summer of 1993…

WILDERNESS DAY CAMPS

Since 1993, more than 75,000 children have attended Camp for All Summer Camp Program, which provides crucial outdoor educational and social experiences to transitioning underserved and houseless youth from urban and shelter environments. Camp for All is designed to provide positive, educational, enriching, life-affirming outdoor experiences, which highlight care for our natural environment and eco-systems, and learning about the magic of nature. Camp for All also helps to develop cognitive, social, and emotional learning skills that help youth become more vibrant and productive people, and community citizens.

Our partner organizations—shelters, missions, Boys and Girls Clubs, foster care and schools—have access to this free program, and we invite up to 1,000 children to Camp for All every summer to our Wilderness Day Camps and Surf Camps. Camp for All also offers an incredible Summer Teen Counselor Program for high school students looking to volunteer and give back their time in a fun, effective and highly meaningful way.

A transformative outdoor experience…

These enriching, memorable and fun Wilderness Day Camp experiences take place in the beautiful Santa Monica Mountains at King Gillette Ranch in Calabasas. The CLF provides a great mix of both classic camp activities like swimming, great arts and crafts classes and special Wilderness Hikes, actual live animal workshops, native Chumash history taught by renowned Elders- combined with a special focus on compassion and mentorship-aim to bring the very best summer experiences for the the underserved youth we support. Additionally, story-telling and portrait classes, Magic Workshops and an emphasis on overall health and outdoor fitness round off our core series of unique camp activities.

The CLF started Camp for All because we saw  first-hand how hard it was for families in shelters to participate  in anything enriching, healthy or recreational that they could afford. Even something as simple as going on a hike, or taking a trip to a nearby beach, became nearly impossible without desperately needed resources, and the necessary feeling of hope.

*Agencies who we invite to participate in Camp for All include: A Place Called Home, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Venice and the West Valley, Covenant House, Doors to Hope, Girls Inc Los Angeles, Homeboy Industries, LA’s BEST, My Friend’s Place, Operation Progress, Para Los Ninos and Urban Compass.

*All of the CLF’s programs are offered FREE-OF-CHARGE to all participating teens, families and agencies.

surf camps

CLF has introduced over 6,500 underserved Los Angeles youth to surfing!

fun, Healing Ocean Therapy-while learning to surf!

Each summer, in addition to our Wilderness Camps, at-risk and homeless children and their parents attend our awesome Surf Camp Sessions at Zuma Beach.

Since 2006, the CLF has been conducting Surf Camps for All at Zuma Beach in Malibu, where children and families from local area shelters hit the beach and learn to surf in a day! An amazing bonding experience, and offering an unparalled, lasting dose of self-esteem.

the ocean heals and enriches…

There, the youth and families we serve can actually learn to stand up on the surf board and learn to surf in one afternoon, enjoy a great meal right on the beach, and participate in other fun, interesting activities like art, ocean safety lessons and yoga. Everyone on our staff makes sure each camper has the best day ever at the beach! Our staff includes professional surf instructors like the and local surf therapists, local lifeguards and bright, compassionate counselors.

It is surprising how many low-income Angelenos never make it out to our beautiful local beaches and state parks. Camp for All aims to change all of that-and we do it -free-of charge.