Trailways Camps
Trailways Camps is a Southwest Florida 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free overnight camping experiences and respite programs for adults (18+) with special needs, serving 80 campers per season across five counties through donations, grants, and fundraising events.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2012
- HeadquartersFort Myers, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Trailways Camps does
Trailways Camps, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Fort Myers, Florida, that delivers overnight camping experiences and related programming for adults (18+) with special needs across five counties in Southwest Florida (Lee, Hendry, Glades, Charlotte, and Collier). Founded by Sharon and Jerry Miller in honor of their sons Robert V. and Benjamin G. Miller, the organization operates a 4-day, 3-night camp at Riverside Retreat near LaBelle accommodating 20 campers per session, with activities including fishing, swimming, canoeing, horseback riding, archery, arts and crafts, and spiritual programming. As of the 2024/2025 season, Trailways served 80 campers against a multi-year waiting list averaging six years for return participants, and has run over 40 sessions since 2012.
The business model is donation-monetized: actual per-camper cost is approximately $2,800 per session but is provided free to participants through scholarships, with only a $75 non-refundable registration fee charged. Revenue streams include individual donations (Vision Sponsorship tiers from $2,800 to $25,000), grants from foundations such as United Way of Lee/Hendry/Glades, Golisano Foundation, Sanctuary Golf Club Foundation, and Grampy's Charities, and fundraising events including the Artistic Abilities Art Auction, golf tournament, and I Am Special reunion. The organization is governed by a 10-member Board of Directors plus an Advisory Committee and operates with 1-10 staff supplemented by 100+ volunteers.
In 2025, Trailways expanded its footprint by launching a Sanibel Island-based camp program (funded by a $50,000 Sanctuary Golf Club Foundation grant), onboarded as a United Way partner agency, and rolled out new programming including Night to Shine, an art auction, and a golf tournament, alongside adoption of a 2026-2028 Strategic Plan and promotion of Jamie Senkeleski to Executive Director. Technology stack is limited to standard nonprofit tools — Wufoo/Google Forms for registration, Vimeo/YouTube for video, Birdeye for auction bidding, and social media for outreach — with no proprietary platform or AI/ML capability.
Trailways Camps firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Trailways Camps
- Legal name
- Trailways Camps, Inc.
- Website
- https://trailwayscamps.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2012
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Trailways Camps is a Southwest Florida 501(c)(3) nonprofit providing free overnight camping experiences and respite programs for adults (18+) with special needs, serving 80 campers per season across five counties through donations, grants, and fundraising events.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Trailways Camps industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Special Needs Camping and Respite Services
- NAICS
- Recreational and Vacation Camps (except Campgrounds) (721214)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus) (THAMAJAJ)
Keywords
Where Trailways Camps is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Fort Myers
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
Trailways Camps business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: Individual donors, corporate sponsors, and community supporters make charitable contributions to fund camp operations and camper scholarships. Programs include Vision Sponsorship levels ranging from $2,800 to $25,000.
- Grant Funding: Grants from foundations including United Way of Lee, Hendry & Glades Counties, Golisano Foundation, Sanctuary Golf Club Foundation, and Grampy's Charities support operations, outreach, and expansion.
- Fundraising Events: Annual events including charitable golf tournaments, art auctions featuring camper artwork, and the I Am Special reunion celebration generate revenue and awareness.
- Camper Fees: A small non-refundable registration fee of $75 is charged, along with voluntary donations. The full cost of a 4-day, 3-night camp is $2,800, but most campers receive scholarships as they are unable to pay.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time | 4-Day, 3-Night Overnight Camp Scholarship |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Trailways Camps product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Trailways Camps operates overnight camping and respite programs for adults (18+) with special needs in Southwest Florida, anchored by 4-day/3-night sessions at Riverside Retreat near LaBelle that accommodate 20 campers per session with adaptive activities, one-on-one support, and licensed nursing care. Supporting offerings include the Sanibel Island Camp, day-long Fun Days, Hosted Camp Partnerships for partner nonprofits, and the Night to Shine prom-style event, all provided at no cost to campers through scholarships, grants, and corporate sponsorships.
Product overview
Trailways Camps is a nonprofit organization offering overnight camping experiences and retreat programs for adults with special needs in Southwest Florida. The core product is the Trailways Camp Overnight Camping program held at Riverside Retreat, providing 4-day/3-night sessions with adaptive activities including fishing, swimming, canoeing, horseback riding, and arts and crafts. Supporting programs include the annual I Am Special Camper Reunion, Artistic Abilities Art Auction (fundraising), Fun Days for those on waiting lists, and Hosted Camp Partnerships with other nonprofits. The organization also operates a Volunteer Program and annual Golf Tournament fundraiser. All programs aim to reduce social isolation for adults with disabilities while providing respite for caregivers.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Trailways Camp Overnight Camping 4-day/3-night overnight camping experiences at Riverside Retreat (Fort Denaud/LaBelle, FL) for adults (18+) with special needs, accommodating 20 campers per session with adaptive activities including fishing, swimming, hiking, canoeing, arts and crafts, horseback riding, talent shows, water skiing, archery, and spiritual experiences, plus one-on-one support and licensed nursing care. Provided at no cost to campers through scholarships; a $75 non-refundable registration fee applies upon acceptance.
- Sanibel Island Camp Island-based summer camping program on Sanibel featuring new island-specific activities for adults with special needs. Sponsored by the Sanctuary Golf Club Foundation and offered in partnership with the Sanibel Community Church. Prioritizes Sanibel residents and employees of island businesses.
- Fun Days Day-long community experiences offering a taste of camp life for individuals on the overnight camp waiting list. Includes activities, meals, and social connection with the Trailways Camps community.
- Hosted Camp Partnerships Collaborative overnight camping programs where other nonprofit organizations (e.g., STARability Foundation) host camp sessions for their own adult clients using Trailways Camps' facilities, trained staff, adaptive equipment, and program best practices. Targeted at disability-serving organizations that lack their own capacity to deliver overnight camping.
- Night to Shine Prom-style formal event for adults with special needs featuring formal attire, corsages/boutonnieres, limo rides, dinner, dancing, and photo opportunities. Hosted at Sanibel Community Church and open to the broader special needs community in Southwest Florida.
Quantifiable outcome
- Serving 80 campers per season with capacity for only 20 per session, creating significant waiting lists
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Trailways Camps
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Trailways Camps technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration8 records
Trailways Camps partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.
- Riverside RetreatcoreProvides the primary location for overnight camping experiences at 7305 County Road 78, Fort Denaud. The retreat offers a healthy, safe, and adaptive environment specifically designed for adults with special needs to have quality overnight camping experiences.
- Collaboratory (Southwest Florida Community Foundation)coreRegional community foundation providing funding coordination, capacity building, training, and resources. Hosted the 'Not Forgotten Faces' photo exhibit featuring Trailways campers in April 2025. Has made over $130 million in grants across the region since 1976.
- STARability FoundationcoreHosted camp sessions specifically for STARability Trailblazer Academy participants, enabling camping experiences for adults with disabilities through organizational partnership.
- Sanibel Community ChurchmajorVenue partner for I Am Special reunion celebrations and community events. Priority partner for Sanibel-based summer camp program.
- The Community House (Sanibel)minorVenue host for Artistic Abilities Art Auction and community events, providing space for camper artwork display and fundraising activities.
- Naples Therapeutic Riding CenterminorProvides mini horse entertainment and therapeutic riding experiences for campers who cannot mount a regular horse, enhancing accessibility of horse experiences.
- WWRE Certified Public AccountantsminorProvides financial accountability through teaching methods and external oversight.
- Alva Food BankminorPartner for community service activities where campers pack food baskets and children's backpacks with nutrition and hygiene items for distribution.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Trailways Camps competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- STARability Foundation: Naples-based nonprofit providing educational, vocational, and social programs for adults with developmental disabilities in Southwest Florida; already a Hosted Camp partner with Trailways and serves overlapping mission and geography.
- Camp Barnabas: Faith-based nonprofit operating overnight summer camps for children and young adults with special needs and chronic illnesses; closest product model to Trailways as a multi-session residential camp with scholarship funding.
- Camp Boggy Creek: SeriousFun Children's Network member providing year-round recreational camps for children with serious medical conditions; comparable camp-delivery model and donor-funded scholarship structure (but pediatric focus).
- SOAR365 (formerly SOAR): Richmond-based nonprofit providing outdoor adventure, sports, and summer camp programs for children and adults with disabilities; one of the few organizations explicitly serving adults with special needs in overnight camp settings.
Broad incumbents
- Easterseals Southwest Florida: Regional affiliate of national Easterseals network providing disability services and respite programs across Southwest Florida; broader service portfolio with overlapping caregiver-respite demand.
- Best Buddies International: Miami-headquartered nonprofit running one-to-one friendship, jobs, and leadership programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities; overlapping mission for adults with IDD in Florida.
- Special Olympics Florida: Statewide nonprofit providing year-round sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities; comparable recreation mission and donor-funded model in same geography.
- The Arc of Florida: State advocacy and service nonprofit for people with developmental disabilities; overlapping adult-disability population across Lee, Hendry, Glades, Charlotte, and Collier counties.
Emerging players
- GiGi's Playhouse: National network of Down syndrome achievement centers offering free educational and therapeutic programs for adults and families; overlapping adult-disability programmatic and donor-model structure.
- Friendship Circle: International network providing social, recreational, and respite programs for children and adults with special needs through volunteer-driven models; comparable volunteer-leveraged nonprofit approach.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Trailways Camps social profiles
Digital presenceTrailways Camps compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
Trailways Camps financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Trailways Camps leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles5 records
Trailways Camps funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds1 record
Investors1 record
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Trailways Camps M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Trailways Camps
What does Trailways Camps do?
Trailways Camps operates overnight camping and respite programs for adults (18+) with special needs in Southwest Florida, anchored by 4-day/3-night sessions at Riverside Retreat near LaBelle that accommodate 20 campers per session with adaptive activities, one-on-one support, and licensed nursing care. Supporting offerings include the Sanibel Island Camp, day-long Fun Days, Hosted Camp Partnerships for partner nonprofits, and the Night to Shine prom-style event, all provided at no cost to campers through scholarships, grants, and corporate sponsorships.
Is Trailways Camps a public or private company?
Trailways Camps is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Trailways Camps founded?
Trailways Camps was founded in 2012. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Trailways Camps based?
Trailways Camps is headquartered in Fort Myers, United States, in the North America region.
How does Trailways Camps make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Donations and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are grant Funding, fundraising Events and camper Fees.
Who are Trailways Camps's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are STARability Foundation, Camp Barnabas, Camp Boggy Creek and SOAR365 (formerly SOAR). Broad incumbents are Easterseals Southwest Florida, Best Buddies International, Special Olympics Florida and The Arc of Florida. Emerging players are GiGi's Playhouse and Friendship Circle.
Does Trailways Camps have an API?
No public API is recorded for Trailways Camps.
What industry is Trailways Camps in?
Trailways Camps's product category is Special Needs Camping and Respite Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAMAJAJ, Family & Recreation Campgrounds (Amenities/Activities Focus). Its NAICS code is 721214 and its SIC code is 7000.