Camp Sweeney is not just a summer camp; it's a way of living. For more than 75 years, Camp Sweeney has helped children living with diabetes gain the knowledge, confidence, and motivation they need to manage their diabetes independently. After 18 days of forming healthy habits, gaining confidence, and building friendships, each camper returns home with a renewed sense of self, strengthened by what they have learned and the relationships they have built.
Many children who have diabetes develop anxieties and feelings of isolation. Camp Sweeney helps children feel “normal” as they participate in traditional camp activities and learn how to navigate the ups and downs of diabetes. Camp Sweeney is a rare program that combines medical training, recreational experiences, and motivational techniques to build a life-changing support system that grows with campers well into adulthood.
Camp Sweeney’s mission is to build a family that can help to support campers through all of the highs and lows of Type 1 diabetes. We start by making the practices of good diabetic control normal, so every child is on a level playing field and no longer feels that diabetes makes them different. Campers are given opportunities to succeed and once they begin to achieve their goals at camp, they develop confidence in their own talents and abilities. We encourage campers to seek the good in themselves and each other, so they place value in virtue rather than the venial attractions of the world. As campers support one another over the course of a session, they build friendships that are based in service – friendships they can count on long past the end of the summer.
Camp Sweeney's biggest need is camperships / financial aid dollars for families in need. Your support can help make this life-changing experience possible for every child who needs it. The actual cost of providing an 18-day Camp Sweeney experience is $7,100 per camper. This amount is daunting to families, especially when the cost of raising a child with diabetes is so high. To help alleviate the financial burden, Camp Sweeney has reduced tuition to $5,000. Even with this reduction, nearly half of our campers still needed financial assistance to attend. In 2026, Camp Sweeney served 690 campers and provided $2,800,000 in support, including $1,500,000 in financial aid and $1,300,000 in reduced costs.
Organization name
Camp Sweeney
other names
Southwestern Diabetic Foundation
Causes
Health Care
Operating Budget
$3,000,000 - $9,999,999
Counties Served
Hunt, Wise, Tarrant, Somervell, Rockwall, Parker, Palo Pinto, Navarro, Montague, Kaufman, Johnson, Hood, Grayson, Fannin, Erath, Ellis, Denton, Dallas, Cooke, Collin
BIPOC Leadership
Executive Director/CEO
Address
8355 Walnut Hill Lane, Suite 205