A local church has prayed for the past two years for an opportunity to reach out into the community in some way. Their prayers were answered with an opportunity to host a program to provide activities to children who are intellectually and developmentally disabled (IDD).

Old Ford Church of Christ hosted a summer day camp program for IDD children in the community through a partnership with Easter Seals UCP of North Carolina. The organization is a private nonprofit that provides programming for IDD children, according to program manager Erma Brault. The six-week program started in late June and ended last week.

Thomas Hamilton, pastor at Old Ford Church of Christ, said the church knew it had an available resource, its building, that could be utilized for programming and activities that would benefit the community.

This summer, the church’s prayers were answered when the organization, which was looking for a location to host the program, reached out to the church and pitched the idea of hosting the program there, Hamilton said. The program was possible through grant support from Trillium Health Resources, which funded the free program based on requests from people seeking such services, Brault said.

“So we found the ministry here at Old Ford, and they’d been looking for some type of program to get involved in so it was a win-win situation for all of us,” Brault said.

The program provides fun and educational activities to IDD children who normally would not have the chance to participate, according to Brault. Participants were exposed to an extensive amount of activities, including: educational and social field trips to locations such as the N.C. Estuarium and The Aurora Fossil Museum; learning and skill-building activities; social and recreational interaction with peers such as trips to the bowling alley and a local pool; health and fitness activities; and more.

Brault said most times, other summer day camp programs are not inclusive for those with IDD, and the Easter Seals program bridges the gap in services.

“In Beaufort County, (the program) was a much-needed service,” Brault said. “Families, in general, whether their child has a disability or not, struggle to provide meaningful activities for their children and balance their family obligations. These camps were for children who would normally not necessarily have the opportunity to participate in that type of camp setting. There are not many outlets for (IDD children) to participate in community life. They want the same things you and I want. They want to be involved in the community, with their friends, in their churches, groups and clubs. They want to go out and do things socially just like you and I do. Programs like these give folks with disabilities those opportunities. (The program) was a huge success, and we hope to continue to grow the program for next summer.”

Wanda Woolard, church member and grandmother to 9-year-old participant Clayton Woolard, said her grandson was very interested in the activities provided through the program. The workers who ran the program were very supportive and put forth a lot of effort to make sure the children enjoyed the program, she said.

Hamilton said the church is happy to provide its building for the program and hopes to continue to work with Easter Seals in the future. The church has already made an agreement with the organization to host an afterschool program starting in September. The program will provide extra instruction to IDD children, and their siblings, for three hours after each school day, Brault said.

“To be able to partner with a group like Easter Seals, and to allow them to have the space to utilize it for the great work they’re doing, it’s just a blessing to us,” Hamilton said.

Old Ford Church of Christ is located at 6040 U.S. Highway 17 in Washington.