Jess Trief has been a part of the PALS family for a long time! Back in 2006, her college friend (and PALS co-founder) Jason Toff told her about this camp he helped start that created an inclusive and welcoming environment for people with Down syndrome. And he told her they needed more people to participate as Peers. Jess hadn’t done anything like that before, but she had benefited from her own summer camp experience and decided to go and check it out. “The moment I arrived, I knew that this would be special.”

Emma Gugliotta will be joining PALS this summer as a Peer at PALS New Jersey. She is a new participant and learned about PALS when her family received a Congratulations Project letter. Her brother, Joey, has Down syndrome and her family was thrilled to hear words of hope, joy, and welcome from a participant at PALS. Let’s learn about Emma and what she is looking forward to this summer!

Cody began PALS in 2012 in California. He has been involved in PALS ever since! Cody currently teaches dance as an instructor. He has been dancing for almost 15 years, and has even been on So You Think You Can Dance!

This World Down Syndrome Day, PALS is celebrating by sharing “where are they now” stories about individuals in the PALS Family! Learn more about Sara, a longtime PALS participant and past program director.

Marissa started PALS in 2012 at Camp PALS West. She lives in California where she does acting workshops and works in films. She has a few call backs for films she has previously worked on for this summer!

This World Down Syndrome Day, PALS is celebrating by sharing “where are they now” stories about individuals in the PALS Family! Learn more about Eli, a longtime PALS participant.

With excitement, we welcome Mara, Sam, and Sarah, who recently joined the PALS Board of Directors. We are eager to see the impact they will make on PALS.

We often ask members of our PALS Family "Why PALS?" to learn how our mission has impacted their lives. This month, we hear the Brightcliffe family's story. Their family has been involved in PALS since 2015 and they look forward to being back at PALS this summer. Here is just one family's story of how scholarship funds make a huge impact.

Have you heard the news?! PALS is hosting an exciting campaign for a LIMITED time where YOU could earn your favorite Starbucks drink.

We are so excited to onboard this year’s Leadership Team. And, we are excited to announce that we officially have our 2022 Program Leads! These 32 individuals will be the creatives behind our most fun, inclusive and memorable programs yet!

Celebrating Black History Month is about honoring diversity. At PALS we work to build a world of belonging for all people. This means that we observe and celebrate differences, not that we ignore them and pretend like all people are the same.

We often ask members of our PALS Family "Why PALS?" to learn how our mission has impacted their lives. This month, we hear Rosemary's story. Rosemary has been a paired participant and volunteer leader and is currently a member of the PALS Staff Team!

On Tuesday, December 28, 2021, Grant McDermott passed away unexpectedly. He was 19. Grant, and his siblings, have volunteered at PALS for many years. This is a huge loss to the PALS family and to the world. Our deepest condolences go out to the McDermott family and friends.

What a year 2021 has been! From starting the year off with the one-of-a-kind Escape from Polar Palace event at PALS to finishing the year with our virtual New Year’s Eve party, we have found new and creative ways to gather as a community in an ever-changing year.

As 2021 comes to a close, we at PALS are so grateful for the generosity of our community this entire year. While adapting our programs due to COVID-19, we continued to see the support of our community in supporting our mission to inspire a world of belonging.

We are so excited to be returning to in-person camps this year, and with that comes another exciting new change: this year we are switching over to a new application system! As we continue to grow, CampDoc will be able to grow with us.