The Stephen J. Wampler Foundation – Corporate Overview

The Stephen J. Wampler Foundation is a national leader in disability impact, advancing a modern, capability-centered understanding of physical disability through two integrated pillars: Camp Wamp, a transformative outdoor-adventure program for children with physical disabilities, and The Wampler Way, the Foundation’s national disability-education platform soon to reach millions of students across the United States.

Together, these initiatives form a comprehensive ecosystem that empowers individuals, equips communities, and reshapes cultural understanding of disability at scale.

Stephen J. Wampler – Founder & Chairman

Stephen J. Wampler is a pioneering disability advocate, educator, and the driving force behind the Wampler Foundation’s national vision. Born with cerebral palsy, he has spent more than two decades advancing a practical, forward-looking understanding of disability—one grounded in capability, opportunity, and meaningful participation in everyday life.

His ascent of Yosemite’s El Capitan in 2010—completed with more than 20,000 pull-ups using only his upper body and captured in the award-winning documentary Wampler’s Ascent—brought international recognition and established Stephen as a trusted, influential voice in disability leadership. His clarity, humor, and lived expertise guide the strategic expansion of both Camp Wamp and The Wampler Way, positioning the Foundation as a catalyst for cultural and generational change.

Camp Wamp – Outdoor Challenge. Real Independence.

Camp Wamp is the Foundation’s experiential cornerstone, offering weeklong outdoor-adventure camps in the High Sierra for children with physical disabilities. Through rock climbing, canoeing, hiking, and sleeping under the stars, campers gain a level of independence, problem-solving experience, and confidence rarely available in traditional settings.

For more than 20 years, Camp Wamp has served thousands of children nationwide and has become a national model for outdoor disability programming. The insights, lived experiences, and authentic peer connections formed at Camp Wamp directly inform the content and tone of The Wampler Way, ensuring that the educational program reflects real-world understanding—not theory.

The Wampler Way – National Disability Education for the Next Generation

The Wampler Way is the Foundation’s disability-education arm and its national movement-building initiative. Developed to bring disability fluency, authentic connection, and practical understanding into schools, The Wampler Way provides:

• student lessons
• teacher training
• parent micro-guides
• multimedia tools
• real-world stories informed by Camp Wamp

The Wampler Way introduces children without disabilities to disability in a judgment-free, curiosity-friendly framework—removing stigma at its root and fostering authentic connection between students with and without disabilities.

A Transformative National Partnership

The Wampler Way is launching in partnership with National University and Harmony Academy, whose social-emotional learning platform serves millions of students across the country. Beginning in Fall 2026, this partnership will bring The Wampler Way curriculum to six million children between the ages of 4 and 12 across participating school districts.

This rollout represents one of the largest coordinated disability-education efforts in the United States and positions The Wampler Way as a scalable national model capable of reshaping generational understanding of disability.

Unified Vision – Individual Impact + Cultural Change

The Wampler Foundation’s power lies in its integrated approach: Camp Wamp transforms the lives of children with physical disabilities, while The Wampler Way educates millions of students without disabilities—ensuring that future generations grow up understanding disability with clarity, confidence, and compassion.

Through adventure, education, and culture-shifting partnerships, the Foundation advances a single mission:

To create a world where children with disabilities thrive—and where society understands disability deeply, respectfully, and without hesitation.