Our Mission

We provide an opportunity for pediatric oncology patients at Children's Medical Center of Dallas to forget cancer in a week of silly songs, campouts, fishing, challenges, horseback riding, crazy counselors, and fellow campers who often become lifetime friends.

Donations made to the Bridewell Foundation go directly to fund the planning and daily operations of Camp Esperanza and Teen Retreat. The Board of Directors of the Bridewell Foundation and the camp staff are all volunteers who dedicate time and energy to making camp a possibility. An executive director position was added effective September 1, 2008 to provide oversight of the daily operations of the Bridewell Foundation, seek additional funding sources, and promote positive community and donor relations. This part time position is the only paid position in the organization.

The Board of Directors is excited to welcome Doreen Bruner to this new position. Doreen joined the Camp Esperanza team first as a camp counselor in 1999 volunteering at camp until 2006. She worked simultaneously as a Board member and coordinated camp acquisitions beginning in 2001. During Doreen's 10 years of volunteer service to Camp Esperanza and the Bridewell Foundation she has worked to build and maintain existing community and donor relations.
 

History

In 1982, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Bridewell approached Children's Medical Center of Dallas with the idea of establishing a fund to provide a summer camping experience for children being treated for cancer. Mr. Bridewell, himself a cancer patient, laid the groundwork for the establishment of an endowment to fund the camp. In May of 1982, Mr Bridewell died, and the endowment was formed. Memorials were given in his honor to further ensure the camp's beginning. The Bridewell Foundation was established, with the first campers participating in Camp Esperanza in 1983.

The first Camp Esperanza began in 1983 when the organization rented facilities at Camp Sweeney in Gainesville, Texas. The first camp had 68 campers and 35 staff members. In 1991, Camp Esperanza began renting a new campsite at Camp John Marc in Meridian, Texas. Today, we have 140 campers and over 70 volunteers and staff.
 

Funding

The Bridewell Foundation is an organization whose sole purpose is to raise money to fund Camp Esperanza, which is free of charge to all campers. The cost of providing a one week camping experience for each camper is $500.00; therefore, the Foundation must raise $70,000.00 to fund and operate camp each year. The Foundation is a tax-exempt Section 501 (c) (3), non-profit organization.