Camp Allen is a non-profit summer camp for children and adults with special physical and developmental needs. Established in Boston, Massachusetts, the camp is located in Bedford, New Hampshire and is owned and operated by the Kiwanis Club of Boston and the Manchester Lions Club.

Camp Allen's mission is to provide opportunities for growth, friendship and fun for children and adults with developmental disabilities and other challenges in an outdoor environment.

It began with a dream...

Camp Allen was established in 1931 by Dr. Edward Allen, then the director of the Perkins School for the Blind in Watertown, MA. At first is was a major project of the Boston Lions Club, then in 1933 the camp was turned over to the Boston Kiwanis and the Manchester, NH Lions Clubs. The camp was officially incorporated in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on May 31, 1933.

Camp Allen staff take the time every day to work with each camper individually.

Camper Information

Each summer Camp Allen will serve between 300-400 campers. There are ten sessions of both residential and day camp. The campers range in age from 6 to elderly and are placed in sessions designed for individuals of similar abilities and age. The majority of campers come from southern New Hampshire and Eastern Massachusetts.

Current successes and the dream continues...

Today, in collaboration with families, agency administrators and medical professionals, experiences at Camp Allen are uniquely focused on serving individuals with mild to severe disabilities. The camp offers an intensive nurturing and caring environment in a beautiful outdoor setting, as well as education and emotional support that often provide life-changing experiences.

Since the beginning...

Camp Allen has distinguished itself as one of the countries oldest and well respected special needs camps. Of particular note are camping experiences for individuals who are severely affected both physically and developmentally. These are often campers that no other camp will accept.

Campers are steeped in rich programming and support provided by both staff and volunteers. New attitudes, knowledge, skills, and friendships empower them to take on new challenges. For these the stay at Camp Allen cannot be replicated elsewhere and is an experience always to be remembered and cherished.