Partner with
Dream Big Career Camp
What does it mean to be a Dream Big Partner?
Each day in Dream Big Camp, middle and high school students with disabilities explore careers and build confidence in their disability identity. The Dream Big Team leads the curriculum portion of the day, and we partner with top inclusive companies to help the students see possibilities for their futures.
Our Partners are companies and organizations that talk with the students about their work, the problems they are solving and all the different roles and skills they need to do that. Partners engage the students with a hands-on activity related to their work. It’s always a bonus when employees with disabilities can join the conversations and talk directly with students about their experience being welcomed and valued at their organization.
Partners often host a visit and lunch, but sometimes visit us a Camp instead. The Dream Big Team works with each company to develop a day that makes an impact for students.
A Value Add: Increase Your Team’s Cultural Competency
As a Dream Big Partner, your team will benefit in significant ways.
Each of our Partners participates in a disability inclusion training session that ensures a positive experience for our students and adds to your employees’ toolboxes, whether welcoming a new colleague with a disability or better understanding the needs of your many disabled customers.
This training is led by our team of experts, who also have disabilities themselves, and makes a tremendous impact for all those who participate. Usually a $2,500 training, the workshop is required and complimentary for our Dream Big Partners.
We ask our Partners to support this program with a $2,500 stipend. Our Team spends significant time with each Partner preparing for the day and employees truly love being a part of it. All of our Partners leave the experience knowing they’ve helped build a brighter community for each of us!
Partner Requirements
- Disability inclusion training session for all employees engaging with our students (training on Zoom)
- $2,500 stipend/sponsorship (fully tax deductible)
Your company’s financial support is just as critical as your team’s participation. In return for this experience, your stipend funds things like:- door-to-door transportation for students who need it
- workbooks and other materials for students
- stipends for Camp counselors, often college and graduate students with disabilities, who mentor Dream Big students throughout the week
- our team’s work creating this experience for your company and our students (possibly your future employees!)
- For a great Dream Big Camp day, plan 3 hours of engaging activities, including:
- a hands-on activity for students to learn more about some aspect of your company’s work
- lunch during our visit
- a space we can gather as a group (about 30 people)
With a growing list of companies eager to partner with us, priority is given to companies who provide their stipend. We invite any nonprofit organizations or others with questions about their financial commitment to set up a meeting with us to learn more.
Contact our Dream Big Coordinator for more information: Danielle Giuffrida at dgiuffrida@starkloff.org or (314) 588-7090. Or simply fill out the form below and we will get in touch!
There were 50+ employees that participated in the Dream Big Day for the kids and every one of them asked to come back again next year because they had so much fun!
We had so many people volunteer to help, we had to turn them away. We even had a mentor come in from [the east coast] to participate because he felt so strongly that these kids needed to see someone with a visible disability successfully working in a big company with a very good job.
I truly do not know who this day helps more, your campers or our employees that participate. It’s a day that brings so many employees together across many different areas all for one purpose – to make the day as fantastic as possible for your campers. Thank you!
