Camp Sunshine and Little Sunshine are waitlist only
Applications for Camp Sunshines 2027 will open in January 2027!
Camp Sunshine: The Arc of Wilson County will host Camp Sunshine for five (5) weeks in 2026 for children ages 8-17 with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities. For a child to attend Camp Sunshine, they must meet the age requirements and be fully toilet trained (unless CAP support staff remains with the child throughout the entire camp day, including transportation and any necessary supporting aids, or your child is participating in Little Sunshine Camp). Children who are habitual runners or have special behavioral needs (such as wearing a diaper or not being fully potty trained) will need 1:1 or CAP support staff to attend camp.
Camp Sunshine is only for children ages 8-17. The child must have turned 8 or be turning 18 by the first day of camp.
Camp Sunshine will be held at New Hope Elementary School. We will distribute a map with parking and entry information in the upcoming parent documentation packet.
Camp Little Sunshine: The Arc of Wilson County Little Sunshine is a 2-week day camp for participants ages 5-7. Little Sunshine is designed to promote socialization and emphasize social skills. Although it would be ideal for kids to be potty trained, we do not require it for this group.
Camp Bright Sunshine: The Arc of Wilson County Bright Sunshine is a 2-week day camp designed for participants ages 18+. This camp is designed to promote both life skills and social skills. All campers must be potty trained, and caregivers are encouraged to join us as we put our skills to the test during our field trips!
Camp Little Sunshine and Bright Sunshine will be held at The Arc of Wilson County.
You must complete a camp application for each participant attending camp. To secure your spot, you must pay a nonrefundable application fee of $25 at the time of application. All applications without payment will be denied immediately if the application fee is not paid. After we receive your application and application fee, you will receive an invoice for the full camp balance. You must pay the invoice no later than May 1st, or your application will be automatically moved to the waitlist. Two weeks before camp starts, you will receive an information packet that includes the camp handbook, pickup sheet, and other vital information. All packets must be completed within 4 days; otherwise, your application will be denied and your money refunded. There are no exceptions. Once all documents have been received, there will be no refunds for camp.
Please note that if you have an innovation waiver through Trillium, you can use it toward camp! If you are a SECU member, you are welcome to apply for the Summer Camp scholarship (see rules for details). The application deadline is February 27, 2026. https://www.ncsecu.org/about-us/community-impact/engagement
2027 Camps
Camp Sunshine will be at New Hope Elementary School. Camps Little Sunshine and Bright Sunshine will be held at The Arc of Wilson County (located at 421 Nash St NW, Wilson). Space is limited.
Camp Sunshine: June 21-July 29 (Monday to Thursday, 8 am-3 pm), $500 per child (ages 8-17)
(No camp the week of July 5-8, for the July 4th holiday)
Camp Little Sunshine: June 7-June 16 (Monday to Wednesday, 9 am-noon), $125 per child (ages 5-7)
Camp Bright Sunshine: August 2-August 12 (Monday to Thursday, 9 am-noon), $125 per adult (ages 18+)
There is a nonrefundable application fee of $25, due at the time of registration. If you are applying for more than 1 child, you can pay everyone once instead of at the end of each application. Camp tuition is due by May 1, 2027.
A nonrefundable application fee of $25 is required to hold your spot! Once all slots are filled, we will open the waiting list application.
Employment Opportunities
Every day is Rainbows and Cupcakes at Camp Sunshine. Want to join the crew? Click “Apply Today” and email your completed application to operations@arcofwilsonnc.org.
VOLUNTEERS
If you are interested in Volunteering at Camp Sunshine this year, please fill out the application below. You must complete the volunteer application and attend our Camp Sunshine Volunteer training meeting in order to be a volunteer.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Registration & Payment
We have vacation plans for one or more of the weeks of camp; will we be required to pay for the full session(s)?
Yes. When you register your child, you are registering for all 5 weeks of camp. Camp is $500 for 5 weeks of camp ($100 for Little Sunshine and Bright Sunshine), regardless of whether your child attends every day or not.
I want to register my child, but I won’t be paid until a specific date. Can I register now and pay later?
No. Due to limited space, we require that all camp fees are paid at the time of registration. Should you attempt to register without paying for the session(s), your child’s application will be automatically declined, and you will need to re-register them.
Once all the camp slots have been filled, will there be a waitlist?
Yes. Once all of the slots for camp have been filled. All remaining applicants will be added to the waitlist, and we will begin vetting our participants. Should a slot open, we will offer it to the person at the top of the waitlist via email and phone. They will have 24 hours to pay to reserve that slot. If they do not pay within that time frame, we will have to move to the next person on the waitlist. Due to the long waitlists in the past, we feel this provides the fairest opportunity to everyone.
Can I pay in cash on the first day of camp?
No. All camp fees must be paid at the time of registration. We will not be accepting cash.
I have registered and paid for my child to attend camp; however, I have now realized they won’t be able to attend. Can I get a refund?
No refunds will be issued once all paperwork has been turned in.
Does my child have to be potty trained?
Yes and no. If your child is not potty trained, they are not automatically disqualified. However, your child must have a Cap worker. The Cap worker will be required to remain with the child during the entire camp. If your child does not have a Cap worker, they will not be able to attend camp as we don’t have the staffing to be able to change diapers.
This does not apply to Little Sunshine.
My child is special needs, but they don’t have an IEP/504; can they attend camp?
Camp Sunshine is designated for school-aged kids with special needs. As part of the vetting process, we do ask questions regarding the camper’s IEP/504 or their ESA+. This is to give us a better understanding of your camper's needs and how they respond to certain stimuli, such as sounds or lights, each day.
Camp Sunshine 2025
These are just a small glimpse of into what we do at Camp!
