Building a Permanent Home for Belonging, Growth, and Intergenerational Connection
Every young person deserves a place where they are safe, seen, and supported. A place that offers consistency, care, and belonging over time.
At Rainbow Camp, belonging is built across generations. Youth who are discovering who they are spend time with adults who have walked that path, and elders whose lived experience offers perspective, resilience, and reassurance. These relationships turn connection into confidence and isolation into community.
“Rainbow Camp was the first place I didn’t have to explain myself. I finally felt normal, and I started believing I could have a future.”
Why Rainbow Camp Exists
Rainbow Camp was founded to respond to a clear and urgent need:
- 2SLGBTQ+ youth, particularly those from rural, northern, and underserved communities, face higher rates of isolation, mental health challenges, and disconnection from supportive peers and role models.
- Traditional spaces often fail to reflect their realities or affirm their identities.
Rainbow Camp was created as a brave, affirming community where young people can:
- Be fully themselves without fear
- Build confidence and leadership skills
- Form lifelong friendships
- Learn from adults and elders who understand their experiences
What began as a summer camp has grown into a national community grounded in care, dignity, and belonging.
The Intergenerational Impact
At the heart of Rainbow Camp is the belief that healing and growth happen in relationship.
Research Insight
Evidence-led
Community research with 2SLGBTQ+ seniors reflects what we see in practice.
When affirming community is absent, isolation increases. When people are reconnected across generations, protective factors grow.
A permanent, year-round Rainbow Camp site makes this possible by bringing youth together with mentors and elders in a shared space.
Lived experience becomes guidance. Guidance becomes confidence. Over time, this strengthens wellbeing and community resilience in Northern and rural communities.
What this leads to: fewer people navigating life alone, and more opportunities for belonging at every stage of life.
Youth benefit from
- Seeing thriving 2SLGBTQ+ adults and elders
- Learning that their future can be full, joyful, and meaningful
- Being mentored by people who reflect who they are becoming
Adults and elders benefit from
- Sharing lived experience and wisdom
- Reconnecting with purpose and community
- Knowing their stories help shape safer futures for the next generation
This reciprocal model creates a community where people belong, contribute, and grow at every stage of life.
The Challenge We Face
Rainbow Camp’s programs continue to grow, but our infrastructure has not kept pace.
Operating from temporary and seasonal spaces limits:
- Program expansion
- Year-round access for youth and community
- Intergenerational programming outside the summer months
- Long-term sustainability and cost control
Demand continues to rise. Waiting lists are growing. Youth are asking for deeper connection and more opportunities to stay engaged throughout the year.
To meet this need, Rainbow Camp must move from temporary spaces to a permanent, purpose-built home.
The Vision: A Permanent, Year-Round Rainbow Camp
We are undertaking a bold and necessary expansion. We will create a permanent Rainbow Camp site designed to support youth, mentors, elders, and allies throughout the year.
This space will allow us to:
- Expand summer camp capacity
- Offer year-round retreats and leadership programs
- Host intergenerational gatherings and story-sharing
- Provide safe space for reflection, learning, and healing
- Build long-term financial sustainability
This project represents an investment in community, continuity, and long-term care for 2SLGBTQ+ people.
What Your Support Makes Possible
Investment in the Rainbow Camp Build Project will:
- Create stable, affirming infrastructure for generations
- Reduce long-term operating costs
- Expand access for youth who face barriers
- Strengthen mental health and wellbeing outcomes
- Anchor Rainbow Camp as a national leader in inclusive, intergenerational programming
Your support helps ensure young people are not turned away due to capacity, geography, or access. It helps create spaces where participants know they are welcome and supported.