Joy Run 2026
Join the Challenge. Support Foster Care.
The Joy Run is a fun, family-friendly obstacle run that brings our community together to support children and families impacted by foster care.
Whether you run, walk, or cheer from the sidelines, your participation helps fuel the work of Joy Meadows—providing stability, healing, and community support for children in foster care and the families who care for them.
No experience needed. Just show up ready to move, laugh, and be part of something meaningful.
Middle School • Outdoor Adventure Camp
A summer Outdoor Adventure Day Camp in Kansas City for children in foster care who’ve completed 6th–8th grade. Campers enjoy animals, gardening, kayaking, art, and classic camp fun in a highly relational 4:1 environment. Registration is $20 and includes a camp t-shirt, all meals, and snacks.
Elementary • Outdoor Adventure Camp
An Outdoor Adventure Day Camp in Kansas City for children in foster care who’ve completed 2nd–5th grade. Campers enjoy animals, gardening, kayaking, art projects, and classic camp fun in a relational 4:1 environment. Registration is $20 and includes a camp t-shirt, all meals, and snacks.
Elementary • Outdoor Adventure Camp
An Outdoor Adventure Day Camp in Kansas City for children in foster care who’ve completed 2nd–5th grade. Campers enjoy animals, gardening, kayaking, art projects, and classic camp fun in a relational 4:1 environment. Registration is $20 and includes a camp t-shirt, all meals, and snacks.
Elementary • Outdoor Adventure Camp
The Outdoor Adventure Day Camp provides new enrichment experiences, relational connection, and outdoor fun. From barn animals and horseback riding to gardening, cooking, lake adventures, art projects, and good old outdoor fun, this experience is packed with hands-on activities that invite kids to explore, create, and play all day long.
K-1st • Outdoor Adventure Camp
A half-day Outdoor Adventure Camp near Kansas City for children in foster care and adopted children entering kindergarten through 1st grade. Campers enjoy age-appropriate outdoor activities designed to build connection, confidence, and joy in a supportive environment. Registration includes snacks, meals, and lots of fun. One camp session per child each summer.
Elementary • Nature Camp
A trauma-informed Nature Camp near Kansas City for children in foster care who’ve completed grades 2–5. Campers engage in sensory-rich, choice-based activities like caring for animals, exploring trails, scavenger hunts, and a collaborative low ropes course that builds confidence, regulation, and connection. Registration is $15 and includes a camp t-shirt, all meals, and snacks.
High School • Weekend Retreat
A restorative weekend retreat near Kansas City for high school youth in foster care. Students slow down and reconnect through nature, animal interaction, team-building, creative reflection, and water activities like swimming, fishing, and kayaking. This is a non-overnight retreat. Registration is $15 and includes snacks and Saturday breakfast and lunch.
Middle School • Nature Camp
A trauma-informed Nature Camp near Kansas City for middle school youth in foster care (grades 6–8). Campers engage in choice-based, sensory-rich activities including animal care, trail exploration, scavenger hunts, and a collaborative low ropes course that builds confidence, regulation, and healthy peer connections. Registration is $15 and includes a camp t-shirt, all meals, and snacks.
Second Saturday Christmas Party • Dinner
Second Saturday is a monthly gathering for all foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
Caregivers feel connected, encouraged, and supported while children engage in all the fun, outdoor activities at Joy Meadows.
In December we have two Christmas Party options due to the colder temperatures and increased attendance. Please register for which time is best for your family:
Lunch Christmas Party • 11am-1pm
Dinner Christmas Party • 5-7pm
For our December Christmas Second Saturday, activities include:
General Store
Children get to pick out a gift for someone special, then go to the gift-wrapping station and wrap their gift.Christmas Craft
Kids create a Christmas craftCookie Decorating
Decorate Christmas cookies and enjoy the hot cocoa barPicture with Santa
Get your picture with Santa, enjoy Christmas music, and hear a Christmas story
The Clothing Closet is always open for families to shop for needs as well.
Everyone is welcome to attend Second Saturday - please register every month so we can ensure enough food and supplies for your family!
Second Saturday Christmas Party • Lunch
Second Saturday is a monthly gathering for all foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
Caregivers feel connected, encouraged, and supported while children engage in all the fun, outdoor activities at Joy Meadows.
In December we have two Christmas Party options due to the colder temperatures and increased attendance. Please register for which time is best for your family:
Lunch Christmas Party • 11am-1pm
Dinner Christmas Party • 5-7pm
For our December Christmas Second Saturday, activities include:
General Store
Children get to pick out a gift for someone special, then go to the gift-wrapping station and wrap their gift.Christmas Craft
Kids create a Christmas craftCookie Decorating
Decorate Christmas cookies and enjoy the hot cocoa barPicture with Santa
Get your picture with Santa, enjoy Christmas music, and hear a Christmas story
The Clothing Closet is always open for families to shop for needs as well.
Everyone is welcome to attend Second Saturday - please register every month so we can ensure enough food and supplies for your family!
Second Saturday
Second Saturday is a monthly gathering for all foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
Caregivers feel connected, encouraged, and supported while children engage in all the fun, outdoor activities at Joy Meadows.
Every Second Saturday features dinner for the whole family, and these four stations give predictability and fun for the children to look forward to:
Barnyard - pet the goats and donkeys, or enjoy a ride on a horse;
Nature - harvest in the garden, participate in a nature activity from planting to building or a nature trail scavenger hunt
Art - monthly themed craft in the art studio
Big Fun - Enjoy the Bouncing Pillow, barrel train rides, gaga ball, 9-square, and playground.
The Clothing Closet is always open for families to shop for needs.
Everyone is welcome to attend Second Saturday - please register every month so we can ensure enough food and supplies for your family!
Youth • Animal Day Camp
Animal Day Camp
(completed 6th-11th grade)
October 25, 9am-12pm
Calling all animal lovers! Animal Day Camp is a fantastic chance for kids to get time with our barn animals, learn new abilities, and see how animal interactions can teach us biblical truths. During camp we will:
Work with our equines (the little ones and big ones!)
Make new animal loving friends
Study the Bible together with interactive lessons and worksheets
Animal Day Camp is open to all foster and adoptive youth, and biological children in families that foster.
Christmas Store Drive 2025
Children impacted by foster care have few opportunities where they are provided with dignity, choice, recognition and control. They have many people in their lives who they care for deeply, and little opportunity to extend generosity or recognize that relationship in a tangible way. That’s why we have an annual Joy Meadows General Store!
Every December, Joy Meadows hosts a Christmas event for over 500 foster and adoptive children. It is full of fun activities for the children, but the main event is the General Store. Children get to “shop” and pick out new gifts for someone that they love. They get to wrap the gift with care and create a personalized card. It is amazing to see their joy in getting to select something for someone else.
Here is how you can help provide that joy through a General Store Gift Drive:
1.) With your team, organization or volunteers, collect donations of new gifts that cost $10. This can be done at an event or an ongoing basis that works for your team. Think of gift ideas your children would buy for a mom, dad, brother, or sister. A few examples include:
For mom: candles, lotion, journals, spa gifts, blankets, socks
For dad: gloves, hats, card games, shaving kits, sports items, coffee
For siblings: games, arts and craft kits, sensory items, toys, hats/gloves
For everyone: gift cards to various stores for $10
Email jarred@joymeadows.org to schedule drop-off of items by December 5 so they can be available for children at our Christmas Event.
Simple Option: Purchase items from the General Store Amazon List to have them directly shipped to Joy Meadows. Scan the QR Code below for link.
Elementary • Animal Day Camp
Animal Day Camp
(completed 2nd grade-5th grade)
August 30, 9am-12pm
The Outdoor Adventure Day Camp provides new enrichment experiences, relational connection, and just plain old outdoor fun for students who are adopted or currently in the foster care system!
A child may attend one camp session per summer.
Second Saturday
Second Saturday is a monthly gathering for all foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
This Second Saturday is our back-to-school event with lots of FREE Stuff for the new year.
Backpacks
School Supplies
Haircuts
Clothes
Caregivers feel connected, encouraged, and supported while children engage in all the fun, outdoor activities at Joy Meadows.
Every Second Saturday features dinner for the whole family, and these four stations give predictability and fun for the children to look forward to:
Barnyard - pet the goats and donkeys, or enjoy a ride on a horse;
Nature - harvest in the garden, participate in a nature activity from planting to building or a nature trail scavenger hunt
Art - monthly themed craft in the art studio
Big Fun - Enjoy the Bouncing Pillow, barrel train rides, gaga ball, 9-square, and playground.
The Clothing Closet is always open for families to shop for needs.
Everyone is welcome to attend Second Saturday - please register every month so we can ensure enough food and supplies for your family!
K-1st • Nature Camp
Nature Camp
(Kindergarten-going into 2nd grade)
July 26, 9am-12pm
The Outdoor Adventure Day Camp provides new enrichment experiences, relational connection, and just plain old outdoor fun for students who are adopted or currently in the foster care system!
A child may attend one camp session per summer.
More details about Outdoor Adventure Camp
Elementary • Outdoor Adventure Day Camp
Elementary Camp
(completed 2nd-5th grade)
July 15-18, 9am-3pm
The Outdoor Adventure Day Camp provides new enrichment experiences, relational connection, and just plain old outdoor fun for students who are adopted or currently in the foster care system!
A child may attend one camp session per summer.
More details about Outdoor Adventure Camp
Second Saturday
Second Saturday is a monthly gathering for all foster, adoptive, and kinship families.
Caregivers feel connected, encouraged, and supported while children engage in all the fun, outdoor activities at Joy Meadows.
Every Second Saturday features dinner for the whole family, and these four stations give predictability and fun for the children to look forward to:
Barnyard - pet the goats and donkeys, or enjoy a ride on a horse;
Nature - harvest in the garden, participate in a nature activity from planting to building or a nature trail scavenger hunt
Art - monthly themed craft in the art studio
Big Fun - Enjoy the Bouncing Pillow, barrel train rides, gaga ball, 9-square, and playground.
The Clothing Closet is always open for families to shop for needs.
Everyone is welcome to attend Second Saturday - please register every month so we can ensure enough food and supplies for your family!
Elementary • Outdoor Adventure Day Camp
Elementary Camp
(completed 2nd-5th grade)
July 8-11, 9am-3pm
The Outdoor Adventure Day Camp provides new enrichment experiences, relational connection, and just plain old outdoor fun for students who are adopted or currently in the foster care system!
A child may attend one camp session per summer.
More details about Outdoor Adventure Camp
High School • Outdoor Adventure Day Camp
High School Camp
(completed 8th-11th grade)
June 17-20, 9am-3pm
The Outdoor Adventure Day Camp provides new enrichment experiences, relational connection, and just plain old outdoor fun for students who are adopted or currently in the foster care system!
A child may attend one camp session per summer.
More details about Outdoor Adventure Camp
Middle School • Outdoor Adventure Day Camp
Middle School Camp
(completed 6th-8th grade)
June 10-13
9am-3pm
The Outdoor Adventure Day Camp provides new enrichment experiences, relational connection, and just plain old outdoor fun for students who are adopted or currently in the foster care system!
A child may attend one camp session per summer.
More details about Outdoor Adventure Camp
K-1st • Animal Day Camp
Animal Day Camp
(Kindergarten-going into 2nd grade)
May 31, 9am-12pm
Calling all animal lovers! Animal Day Camp is a fantastic chance for kids to get time with our barn animals, learn new abilities, and see how animal interactions can teach us biblical truths. During camp we will:
Work with our equines (the little ones and big ones!)
Make new animal loving friends
Study the Bible together with interactive lessons and worksheets
Animal Day Camp is open to all foster and adoptive youth, and biological children in families that foster.
Fall Serve Day
Join us for the Fall Serve Day! This is a great time for groups to sign up for a Group Volunteer project, or individuals and families are welcome too! We need your help to get Joy Meadows ready so we can serve our amazing foster and adoptive youth throughout the fall season.
K-1st • Outdoor Adventure Day Camp
K-1st Outdoor Adventure Day Camp
(K-going into 2nd grade)
Saturday, July 27
9am-12:30pm
The Outdoor Adventure Day Camp provides new enrichment experiences, relational connection, and just plain old outdoor fun for students who are adopted or currently in the foster care system!
A child may attend one camp session per summer.