Trailways Camps

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.

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

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

• Overnight camping programs
• Special needs recreation
• Caregiver respite services
• Adaptive outdoor experiences
• Disability camp services

Headquarters

HQ city

Fort Myers

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Fundraising Events: Annual events including charitable golf tournaments, art auctions featuring camper artwork, and the I Am Special reunion celebration generate revenue and awareness.
4. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers3 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Riverside RetreatcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides 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)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional 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 FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosted camp sessions specifically for STARability Trailblazer Academy participants, enabling camping experiences for adults with disabilities through organizational partnership.
• Sanibel Community ChurchmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue partner for I Am Special reunion celebrations and community events. Priority partner for Sanibel-based summer camp program.
• The Community House (Sanibel)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVenue host for Artistic Abilities Art Auction and community events, providing space for camper artwork display and fundraising activities.
• Naples Therapeutic Riding CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides mini horse entertainment and therapeutic riding experiences for campers who cannot mount a regular horse, enhancing accessibility of horse experiences.
• WWRE Certified Public AccountantsminorOthersProvides financial accountability through teaching methods and external oversight.
• Alva Food BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner 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

Direct 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@trailwayscamps
• Facebookfacebook.com/Trailways-Camps-Inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/trailwayscamps

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Trailways Camps