How your donation makes a difference

Imagine a KODA (Kid of Deaf Adult) child growing up feeling conflicted between the hearing and deaf worlds.  The child uses sign language at home and with their parents, then attends a hearing school surrounded by hearing kids who know very little or nothing about the deaf world. Imagine that this child is the only one in that school or town that has a deaf family.  This child often feel conflicted because this child use ASL at home with deaf mannerisms at home, has a videophone, and may interpret for their parents while at school as the school may not provide one. The child's peers may make fun of the child for using ASL, mispronouncing certain words, and the child's peers call their parents dumb. 

Now picture that child at KODA Camp, surrounded by peers who experience those exact same situations. Imagine that child who can relate to other KODAs, they can be as loud as they want without being made fun of, they code switch between ASL and speaking within the same sentence,  a child that feels the identity of being a part of both the hearing and deaf worlds — no longer a struggle, but have a unique privilege to be connected to both worlds.  

Do you know the secret behind this story and so many like it?

It's you. When you donate to KODA Camp Midwest you are giving KODAs the opportunity to learn about their identity, and grow in their self-confidence. You are helping to build a community of other KODAs who felt that belonging and KODA Camp, and want every KODA to experience that belonging. You are allowing us to continue the important work of developing KODA identities to be stronger, more self-confident, and feel like they belong. 

You are making a difference.