Prior to the summer season, Camp Ho Mita Koda hosts 4 onsite tours and 2 online orientation webinars for all first-time campers and families. These orientations are a great opportunity to meet the staff, ask questions, and learn all about camp including how activity sign-ups work, what the camp food is like, communications home, medical management and more!

Don’t worry if you miss the orientation and tours, you can request a personal Camp Tour for you and your family. We love hosting folks onsite and cannot wait to meet you. To schedule a personal tour, please visit HERE. 

Packing for camp is the beginning of each camper’s independent camp experience. Parents can review our detailed Packing List that oultines everything you’ll need to bring. Remember that nights at camp can be chilly so bring some warm layers and make sure that your sleeping bag is rated to at least 50 degrees or lower so you are comfortable at night!

Check out our Packing List: PACKING LIST

No problem! Camp Ho Mita Koda is a great place to make new friends as many campers come not knowing anyone else. Our talented instructors are on the job and ensure that all the campers feel included and a part of the group. Even if you come to camp with friends, you’ll be making lots of new friendships that will last a lifetime.

The answer is ZERO!  Campers are asked NOT to bring money with them to camp.  We do not offer any a “snack shack” or “canteen” found at other camps.  We do have a camp store called the Trading Post, but campers may only use credits placed into their account by their parents. Many campers flying into camp have traveling money with them.  This money is locked up during their stay at camp and may be used to purchase store items on the last day of camp as long as permission has been granted from a parent.

What does being accredited by the American Camp Association mean? The American Camp Association sets the best standards in the camping industry, and we proudly are ACA certified. Being ACA accredited is the best guarantee of professionalism in camping because it lets you know we have voluntarily taken the time to ensure our program and our site meets the strictest codes of safety and excellence.

Click here to learn more about ACA accreditation.

Yes! Cell phones are permitted at camp. If you have a cell phone that is used as a receiver, you are permitted to bring it to camp. While we try to remain “unplugged”, we also lean into technology to ensure the safety of our campers.

We also have the ability to link up our Electronic Medical Record system with your camper’s Dexcom for additional oversight and management.

Please note that cell phone passcodes may be changed at check-in for safety.

We absolutely love celebrating birthdays at camp! Your child’s special day will be celebrated in style as they get to participate in our “Order of the Oar” ceremony followed by a rousing rendition of “Happy Birthday” sung by all of the camp during dinner and a special treat for the birthday child and their cabin!

Please call or email the camp office to arrange a party at least two weeks prior to your camper’s arrival.

If you are from out of town and planning on spending time in Northeast Ohio, we have got you covered! Whether you are looking for a nice restaurant, a comfortable place to stay, or a one of a kind attraction, CHMK can help make your visit to Cleveland, Ohio a memorable one.

Please click on the link below to view CHMK’s official recommendations. Of course feel free to contact us at anytime and we will be thrilled to assist in any way possible and point you in the right direction of some of Northeast Ohio’s hidden gems.

Area Attractions

The Camp Ho Mita Koda Foundation is on a journey. We strive to champion diversity, equity and inclusion for all. We celebrate multiple approaches and points of view and are deeply committed to respecting and valuing diverse life challenges.  

We believe that strong DEI drives innovation. So, we are building a culture where difference is valued, where different is the norm. This commitment is critical to living our mission and deepening our relevance, credibility, and effectiveness. It empowers us to reach our full potential through fueling innovation and establishing a deeper connection with our employees, customers, and communities regardless of race, ethnicity, age, gender, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, economic status and other diverse backgrounds

For more information, please review our Gender Inclusion Policy (Coming Soon!).

Yes, financial assistance is available through grants from local foundations, organizations, and donations from community members. 

If you see a camp session marked “full” this means that all camper spots are reserved.

If a camp week/session is waitlisted, you can still fill out the waitlist form as if you were registering your child.  This does not mean your child is registered. If a spot opens, we’ll automatically send out an email to offer the spots to those on the waiting list (in the order they are received) before sharing it with the general public. 

On the camp application form, there is a space to indicate a camper request.  While we cannot guarantee that the request will be granted, every effort is made to pair requested friends together as long as they are close in age.  If a cabinmate request was not indicated on the application, please contact the office prior to May 1 with your request.

Yes! Thank you for your consideration in partnering with us on decreasing a barrier for a child to come to camp!  When donating to camp, your donations go directly to the operation of our camps or provide a camp adventure for a child who would not otherwise have had one.  You can donate through our website, in person, by calling our office, or by physically mailing it to us. To donate online go here.  A week of camp costs approximately $800 per week to the families and $1400 (real cost) to CHMK. 

Camp registration opens up on November 1st of each year for the upcoming summer season. All non-summer programs open up on November 2st of each year for the upcoming season.

Camp Ho Mita Koda session fees vary at each of camp locations and by priogram. You will find camp pricing on the “Dates & Rates” page.

Camp Ho Mita Koda understands that families have different abilities to pay for a camp experience and that you know your family’s financial situation better than we do. Tiered pricing allows you to choose the rate that best fits your financial situation. The tier you choose remains confidential and in no way influences or affects the experience your camper receives. Tiered pricing allows us to stretch scholarship funding further, bringing more young people the opportunity to have a life-changing week at Camp Ho Mita Koda.

Tier 1 – Subsidized Rate
This is our heavily subsidized rate of summer camp and does not reflect the true cost of operating the summer camp program.

Tier 2 – Direct Cost Rate
This rate represents a portion of the direct costs of camp. This is a partially subsidized rate for those who can pay a little more than the Tier 1 rate.

Tier 3 – True Cost
This rate reflects the true cost of the camp experience to the organization.

We believe that every child should experience the powerful impact that summer camp provides regardless of income. For those families who cannot afford Tier 1, additional scholarship assistance through our Campership Program is available to ensure that all children have the opportunity to attend camp.

This is very normal, especially for our younger or newly diagnosed campers. Our volunteer staff either has diabetes or is closely linked to diabetes or is a medical professional that takes care of kids with diabetes. We have carb info with all food – both visually and announced – and a staff person will observe what your child eats and help them count their carbs. Camp is the one place where counting carbs can become a game and we will teach several tricks on how to do this!

Our camp-to-counselor ratio is 4 campers to 1 counselor. While we cannot provide one-to-one assistance, we sincerely believe that every child deserves a camp adventure. Our camp does take place outdoors (all day every day) and involves a variety of physical activities. If you have concerns or questions, we recommend calling and or scheduling a visit prior to registering your child for camp.

Yes. All health professionals working at our CHMK camps are licensed in the state where the camp is held. The majority are also involved in diabetes care in their local community on a year-round basis. The safety of our campers is our number one priority. Our camp team of clinicians provides round-the-clock care, so families have peace of mind, while their children are at camp.