Our History

Why Friendship Ventures was created and how it has evolved

In 1964, a group of parents with Arc Minnesota converted a resort near Annandale into a resident camp for their children with developmental disabilities. Although the camp, which they named Camp Friendship, was created to benefit the children, parents soon appreciated the respite they enjoyed while their children were at camp.  Over the years, Camp Friendship evolved into Friendship Ventures, and our programs and services have grown well beyond the camp's boundaries.

In the late 1980s Creative Options Respite Care and Ventures Travel were created, and in 1986, Friendship Ventures became an independent, nonprofit organization.

In 1995, Friendship Ventures expanded its services in the Twin Cities area through the acquisition of Eden Wood Center in Eden Prairie. The original facility was established in 1925 as the Glen Lake Children's Camp, where it served as a summer haven for children with tuberculosis. In the late 1950s, Arc of Hennepin County operated the site as Camp Indian Chief  for people with developmental disabilities.

In 2005, Camp New Hope, near McGregor, merged into Friendship Ventures. The camp was originally established in1968 by four Cambridge State Hospital doctors who saw a need to get patients with disabilitiesout of the hospital. The merger made it possible to expand Friendship Ventures programs into Northern Minnesota.