Life in Camphill Village Copake
Camphill Village is an integrated community where we connect with one another through meaningful work, enriching spiritual life, and supportive relationships. We are unfolding our potential together through the practice of social therapy, in which we nurture the gifts of our peers while meeting their needs through life’s different stages.
There are more than 20 lifesharing households in Camphill Village. These are shared by individuals with and without developmental differences, including house leaders and their families, volunteers, and students of the Camphill Academy. These housemates of all ages and abilities live as extended families—experiencing milestones and challenges together, enjoying wholesome meals, and sharing responsibilities within the household.
We spend our mornings and afternoons working in our therapeutic craft studios, houses, and practicing biodynamic agriculture. Evenings and weekends are dedicated to creative pursuits and visiting with friends; we might enjoy a week baking cookies and sourdough breads in our Bakery before relaxing on a Saturday afternoon in our busy Coffee Shop. Some will spend evenings practicing a new piece of music before performing alongside fellow musicians in our Village Bell Ensemble concert.
Our weekly activities provide structure and balance, but life in Camphill Village follows the natural rhythms of the seasons. Chilly winter mornings spent cradling mugs of hot mint tea from our gardens melt away into long sunsets by the swim pond. And through these seasonal shifts, we gather for our many holidays and spiritual festivals.
Many of our celebrations are held outdoors, as our scenic valley landscape provides us with space to grow food, as well as gather. Our land enables us to stroll and chat with friends, ride our bicycles in a safe environment, and to decompress peacefully at the end of a fulfilling day.
Camphill Village Copake is a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, and we thank our donors and other generous supporters for helping us to make Camphill Village the special place that it is. Learn about the different ways you can support the adults with developmental differences who make their home at Camphill Village here.
Medical and Therapeutic Care
In addition to off-site care, the Medical Office here in Camphill Village is staffed with nurses and doctors. Our caring medical staff practice integrated medicine—combining homeopathic and mainstream medical care and remedies.
We offer on-site dental care, vision care, physical therapy, and mental health counseling, as well as a wide array of supportive therapies including massage, eurythmy, painting, music, and movement—all of which are utilized enthusiastically by our community members of all abilities.
Camphill has reminded me that life is a gift to be shared. The staff in the medical office, the house leaders, and the villagers give testimony to the power of community; and it is clear that Camphill cares.
Upcoming Events
The farmers of Camphill Village very graciously hosted our community last night for a wonderful barn dance party in our loose housing before our cows move inside for the colder weather. The Shoo Fly Shimmy delivered on the promise of great music from Peter Madsen and company with fun instruction from folk dance caller Eric Hollman; perfect October weather; and delicious food from our land. We enjoyed burgers and sausages from our farm, served on buns from our bakery and topped with ketchup made in Omaskos house—from tomatoes from our gardens; apple cider pressed by our vegetable gardeners, along with salad and peppers they grew over the summer; elderberry cordial made by Stephen; and a delicious dessert of cheese curd served with the precious remaining drops of maple syrup in the Village. It was a warm and wonderful fall celebration of land and community!
Did you know we have a Day Volunteer Program for people living near Copake who want to dedicate some time to our awesome organization? You`ll help out with cooking and cleaning in our households, assist us in our workspaces, and bring our people to appointments when we`re short handed! This is a wonderful way to spend time in our beautiful community while making a real difference in the lives of the residents of Camphill Village. Learn more at camphillvillage.org/dayvolunteer or visit the link in our bio!
We truly could not have asked for a more gorgeous day than Saturday to celebrate our families and dedicate our new Healing Plant Garden Studio. We heard inspiring speeches from our parents, who expressed what this new place will mean to their children and for the generations that will follow them. We heard from the members of our garden crew, who spend their days among beebalm and mint beds, and provide healing remedies, teas, and culinary mixes for their fellow community members. And we heard from members of the Berman family, whose dearly departed sister, daughter, and aunt—Tammy Berman—inspired a major gift that made this wonderful space possible for Camphill Village. The day was made more special with fiddle and accordion music performed by the Terrabelles in the morning, followed by a performance by our own lyre group inside our new building in the afternoon. We also gathered at the garden`s new hilly herb beds, where our gardeners performed a beautiful dedication.
Since the 1990s, our crew has been processing their special herbs and flowers in the village’s Red Barn, which has been on this property since long before we came in 1961. And while the barn has served us well over several decades, we are very much looking forward to rolling up our sleeves in this open space that can better accommodate our gardeners and the future of the Healing Plant.
We thank our families, our donors, and the beautiful weather for joining us for this joyful occasion!
DAF Day is a national day of giving with Donor Advised Funds. Nonprofits across the country are reminding their networks to recommend grants from their DAFs, to contribute to their DAFs, and to spread the word about how DAF giving can help both you and your favorite organization. You planted the seed – don’t forget to watch it grow!
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How do I make a grant from my DAF?
1. Contact your DAF representative to direct a grant to Camphill Village USA, Inc. You will need our EIN Number: 14-1463358
2. Remember to include your name and address on the distribution so we can thank you!
3. Optional: Let us know we should expect a DAF contribution from you; we can confirm receipt immediately if desired.
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Why are DAF’s important?
People with DAF’s give more, and on a different timeline.
DAF funds are already earmarked for nonprofits – meaning donors don’t have to cut back on supporting their favorite causes during a rainy day. And since DAF holders already got their tax break when they contributed to the account, their giving tends to hold steady across the calendar year – which is helpful for nonprofits, as donation income is usually cyclical, peaking at the end of the calendar year.
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Can I set up a monthly gift through a DAF?
YES – most DAF providers will be able to work with you to set up monthly giving through your DAF account. Contact your DAF provider for more details.
We have a great bumper crop of apples in Camphill Village this season, so we’re doing our best to make as much apple cider for the many gatherings we have planned, including Michaelmas on Tuesday and a wedding in October! 🍎
Our 10th Annual 5K Trail & Fun Run *For All Abilities* is in books! We were DELIGHTED to welcome back some runners who have been with us since the very beginning, and so moved by the new support we received this year from runners, volunteers, donors, and our amazing sponsors! The revenue from our annual 5K event supports so many of our expenses, from therapies and medical needs not covered by insurance or trusts to the work and home life that define our beautiful community. Many thanks to all who supported and participated this year and years prior. We are truly grateful! #camphill5K
Just TWO DAYS until our big event! This is our 10th Annual 5K Trail and Fun Run for *All abilities*! 5K runners will enjoy a scenic run through our beautiful woodlands and pastures, and those who prefer a more leisurely stroll will stay on the paved Ring Road in Camphill Village, which can accommodate all mobility aids! Join us for 9 am registration and a 10 am run start! Sign up on our website! (Link in bio!)
The Camphill Village 5K Trail & Fun run on September 19th benefits the wonderful residents of Camphill Village! Your participation and sponsorships support our gardens and craft studios, household costs, many of our care needs that aren’t supported by insurance or trusts, and the many exciting cultural performances our people enjoy right here at Camphill Village. Our 5K trail run is ideal for runners who enjoy a scenic race through woodlands and pastures, and our fun run option for all abilities can accommodate kids and adults with mobility aids, as well as families with strollers who want to contribute to a great cause. Sign up today to join us on Saturday, September 19th! Sign up at the link in our bio!
