CYO Summer Camp Overnight Programs

CYO Summer Camp Overnight Programs include activities such as swimming, hiking, archery, canoeing, arts and crafts, tie-dye, gaga ball, camp games, and nature games such as predator prey. Campers take part in sports including soccer, basketball, and volleyball, as well as a challenge course and team-building initiatives. The program also offers exploratory nature hikes, gardening, small group community building called Soul Food, specialized electives called Passion Projects, campfire sing-alongs, talent shows, campfires, dances, and sleeping under the stars, along with workshops in communication, conflict resolution, money management, activity facilitation, interviewing, and youth development.

• Ages: 8–17 years old
• Price: There is no fee for the Counselor in Training (CIT) Program.

Programs are organized into age-appropriate Villages, including SurfSide Village for campers entering grades 3–6, Wildwood Village for campers entering grades 7–9 up to age 14, and Stepping Stone Village for campers ages 15–17. Every camper experiences an off-site excursion to either the Sonoma Coast or a local nature reserve, with lower-age Villages taking a day-long trip to the Sonoma Coast once during the session and the oldest group, Stepping Stone, taking a field trip to the Russian River. Every session includes an outdoor chapel celebration where cabin groups reflect on Scripture, communicate important camp lessons, and participate in inclusive prayer, and each day campers attend some activities with their cabin mates while other activities are self-selected to fit their individual interests.

The Counselor in Training (CIT) Program is a leadership development opportunity for teens ages 15–17 and is available during every overnight session of CYO Summer Camp. Interested individuals must complete an online application, reference check, and group interview to be considered, and space is limited in each CIT session to 4–8 positions depending on the number of cabins in SurfSide. Once accepted, a CIT is invited to attend one overnight camp session during the upcoming summer and is eligible for 70 service hours after successfully completing the session.

Catholic Charities, which runs these programs, was founded in 1853 and is rooted in faith traditions of charity and justice, supporting families, aging and disabled adults, and youth through social service and opportunities for healthy growth and development. Catholic Charities programs work in San Francisco, San Mateo, and Marin Counties and serve more than 70,000 people in these counties annually through more than 30 programs and social justice advocacy, and the organization describes itself as an integral part of its communities that plays a role in keeping neighborhoods diverse, productive, safe, and healthy. One testimonial from Elizabeth, a teacher at TICDC, states that having the opportunity to work and have her child in the center was very important in her life and that she thanks Catholic Charities for the opportunity to have this job and support her family.

Last updated March 16, 2026.