When Jordan came to Project Transformation in D.C., he not only found a great place to read and play, he found a home away from home, a very diverse extended family. His mother, Denise, shares about her son’s experience:

“Jordan’s grown up with one background of people. Here (at PTDC) it is different for him. At first, he was like ‘Who are these people?’ and then it became love, and now, like everyone is the same to him…The relationships between them (the interns) and Jordan, I can almost not describe it. It was almost like an aunt and uncle type relationship…There wasn’t a lot of fakeness… It was like a family environment.”

While many parents send their children to Project Transformation to ensure their child reads and learns in the summer, Jordan’s mother reminds us that camp becomes so much more than that. Project Transformation is about being able to show up and bring your whole self: your mind, body, and soul. Jordan’s mother shared the progress she’s seen in her son over the course of 8-weeks. “For me it was more than a literacy thing, it was everything. To me, (PT) is everything–social skills, friendships, eating healthy… He now asks for salad for dinner. He learned self-confidence. He learned how to control his emotions. He learned to say, ‘Give me a minute. I’m having a break down,’ instead of storming off. From the beginning to the end, for me, it’s the emotional part for Jordan. He is more loving and empathetic.”