About Cradle Beach
What We Do
Cradle Beach Camp serves the needs of disabled and disadvantaged children from Western New York. We provide a healthy environment and organized activities to promote socialization, self-worth, and decision making, in an atmosphere of love and acceptance.
Summer camp is the signature program of Cradle Beach, but we continue year-round with youth leadership and weekend respites. We also share our facility with schools and other community organizations who need a great place for a retreat, innovative programming for youth, or both.
Our entire program is focused upon the 40 Developmental Assets as recognized by the Search Institute. The Developmental Assets are the building blocks of healthy development that all children need to grow up to be healthy, caring and responsible adults.
Research demonstrates the more assets a child has in his or her life, the greater the likelihood that they will avoid high-risk negative behaviors, while at the same time choose more positive attitudes and behaviors. Specifically, asset development programming promotes an increase in academic achievement, a value for tolerance and diversity, good health and delayed gratification.
Asset-based programming will also protect youth from harmful behaviors by reducing alcohol use, illicit drug use, sexual activity and violence. For more information on the 40 Developmental Assets, visit: www.SearchInstitute.org.
Our History
Cradle Beach was founded in 1888 with the sole purpose of serving underprivileged children from the city of Buffalo in a time when diphtheria, cholera infantum and typhoid were major killers of infants and children. The Fresh Air Mission, as it was called then would provide a place where these children could enjoy the sun, water and wind, while having enough to eat. They were brought to the shores of Lake Erie by horse drawn carriage, lived in tents on the hill and were brought to a big farm house for meals. For many years the organization continued to serve children in this capacity. As it began to grow in numbers of children served and in structure, cabins were built for the children to sleep in. Programs were put in place to make their stay an enjoyable one, while still helping the camper to become healthy.
In 1946, after many years of serving only underprivileged children, the summer camp program took its first group of handicapped children, financed by the Buffalo Rotary Club. A new era in the history of the camp had begun. A new philosophy began to take shape, holding true then and now – every child, even the most small and deprived has importance and dignity. The disabled children were integrated into the program with “well children”. Physical structures were built with these children’s lives in mind. The cabins were at ground level, allowing easy access for those in wheelchairs or using walkers. A tunnel was built for the children to easily cross the street, as the camp was split by Old Lakeshore Road.
As the needs of the children served by Cradle Beach Camp expanded, the need for a larger, more easily accessible camp was realized. In 1996 the camp was moved to its current location. Still located on the shores of Lake Erie, the camp is over 60 acres of beach, woods, nature trails and open space. The camp facilities include 14 cabins, large dining and recreation hall, infirmary, computer lab, library, and an arts and crafts center. All facilities are designed to meet the special needs of our campers. Outdoor facilities include a tennis court, basketball court, baseball field, walking-hiking trails, low ropes course, a universally accessible playground, adaptive challenge course and a swimming pool that is one of very few in the state to be fully accessible to all children.
The move to a larger year-round facility enabled Cradle Beach to expand the programs it offers to children with disabiliites and children from low income families. Cradle Beach created a respite program that now serves almost 150 individuals with disabilities from age ten and up. Respite is offered four weekends in the fall and spring to families who need to take a break from the demands of caring for a special needs family member and to refresh themselves to care for them in the future. In addition to respite, Cradle Beach now offers a youth leadership program for young people ages 14 to 16 for career planning and personal growth. This program is offered three weekends in the fall and spring and helps to prepare youth for the experience of being a pioneer camper in the summer program. We also share our facility with organizations with similar missions for retreats and youth programs.
This institution has witnessed many changes in children and society, such as the eradication of polio, challenges to the local economy, and the rise of violence in schools and neighborhoods. The needs of our children have never been greater, whether it’s the number of children with autism, or the frequency of violent acts in schools and neighborhoods. For almost 120 years, thousands of WNY parents have trusted Cradle Beach with their physically and emotionally vulnerable children. When other institutions could not care for children, Cradle Beach was there every summer with medical attention, caring adults, and measurable results.
