Every summer in Greater Houston, Camp Hope brings together young people for a week of camp focused on connection and understanding rather than competition.
In its 30th year, the program—part of Allies in Hope—serves youth impacted by HIV across the region, including those living with the virus and those affected through family members or caregivers.
This anniversary coincides with HIV Testing Day outreach in Houston, focused on expanding access to testing and prevention education.
How did it start?
Camp Hope began with a simple goal: to ensure young people impacted by HIV wouldn’t feel alone in their journey.
As the program evolved, so did the understanding of its audience. Today, Camp Hope serves youth living with HIV and those impacted by a parent or family member affected by the virus.
Despite differing circumstances, many share a similar experience outside of camp: feeling isolated, uncertain or unsure how to discuss it in their personal lives.
“At Camp Hope, the goal is to create spaces where young people feel seen, supported, and not alone,” said Jeffrey Campbell, executive director of Allies in Hope. “For many families, it can be the first time their child is in a space where they don’t feel different.”
A different kind of camp
Camp Hope mirrors traditional summer camps. There are group activities, outdoor time, creative sessions and moments for being a kid.
What sets it apart is an environment where participants don’t have to explain their background or family circumstances to fully take part. That absence of explanation changes the dynamic. Instead of navigating questions about identity or home life, campers can focus on friendship, shared experiences and the rhythm of camp.
For many, that shift is subtle but significant. One attendee shared: “That experience literally changed my life for the better.”
Camp Hope is not defined by diagnosis or circumstance but by creating space for young people to experience childhood with ease, connection and normalcy.
Beyond the camp
Camp Hope focuses on youth in a structured summer setting, while Allies in Hope’s work continues year-round through community outreach tied to HIV Testing Day.
HIV Testing Day on June 27 focuses on expanding access to free or low-barrier HIV testing while connecting people to prevention education and resources.
This year’s outreach includes a community event at Iron Works offering testing and education resources as part of the broader HIV Testing Day efforts across the city.
“The outreach helps address misconceptions around HIV prevention and transmission, which can influence whether people seek care or feel comfortable discussing their health,” Campbell said.
What carries forward?
The outreach also helps address misconceptions and stigmas around HIV prevention and transmission. These misunderstandings can shape people’s risk perceptions and comfort in seeking testing.
In Houston, where access to care and education varies, Allies in Hope operates at different points along the continuum—from early, relationship-based support for young people to broader community-based testing and prevention outreach.
That broader approach reflects Allies in Hope’s holistic model of care, connecting individuals and families to resources such as housing stability and wraparound support when needed.
“We see these as connected efforts,” Executive Director Jeffrey Campbell said. “It’s about building trust early and continuing that support in the broader community to prevent people from falling through the cracks.”
Dive deeper
Learn more about Camp Hope here.
For details on HIV Testing Day in Houston, including attendance and participation in local events, click here.
To explore Allies in Hope’s broader work, click here.
The above story was produced by Multi-Platform Journalist Chloe Chapel, with the Community Impact's Storytelling team, using information solely provided by the local business as part of their "sponsored content" purchase through our advertising team.