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Information About Camps for Kids With Grief & Loss

Bereavement camps for children offer programs and activities for those who have lost parents, siblings, friends or guardians. Such camps are designed to help kids regain any lost self-confidence and break down the barriers of emotional isolation that remain long after personal loss.

  1. Amanda the Panda

    • Situated in Windsor Heights, Iowa, the Amanda the Panda Family Grief Center offers grief counseling activities for children, teens and adults. Originally begun as a center for children with cancer, Amanda the Panda now offers weekend grief camps for 30,000 children each year and 900 adults. Founded in 1980, the Amanda the Panda Family Grief Center continues to reach out to families suffering from loss with the help of a large force of volunteers and not-for-profit employees.

      Amanda the Panda Family Grief Center

      1000 73 St. Suite 12

      Windsor Heights, IA 50324

      515-223-4847 or 877-533-2827

      amandathepanda.org

    Camp Erin

    • Camp Erin of the Moyer Foundation was established by the baseball player Jamie Moyer and his wife, Karen, after befriending Erin Metcalf. At the age of 15, while she was hospitalized for cancer treatment, Erin reportedly, according to the Moyer Foundation website, voiced concern for the siblings and friends of cancer patients. After Erin's death in 2000, the Moyers founded Camp Erin as a grief camp for children ages 6 to 17. The foundation has grown to include 40 camp locations in 25 states and one in Canada.

      Camp Erin of the Moyer Foundation

      2426 32nd Ave. W.

      Seattle, WA 98199

      206-298-1217

      moyerfoundation.org

    Comfort Zone Camp

    • With locations in California, Massachusetts, Texas, New Jersey and Virginia, Comfort Zone Camp offers bereavement opportunities for children ages 7 to 17. The free camps are structured as traditional summer camps with age-based support groups and confidence-building programs, according to the camp's website. Comfort Zone Camp has been home to grieving children from 44 states, Canada and the United Kingdom.

      Comfort Zone Camp Headquarters

      4906 Cutshaw Ave.

      Richmond, VA 23230

      804-377-3430 or 866-488-5679

      comfortzonecamp.org

    Camp Paz

    • Camp Paz for kids and adults is a grief and loss weekend retreat experience provided by Stepping Stones of Hope. Weekend camps, held yearly in April and October, are situated at Whispering Hope Ranch in Payson, Arizona. Camp Paz provides its campers with the experience of interacting with animals at the Whispering Hope Ranch, which began as a sanctuary for animals. A $50 donation is requested at the time of registration.

      Stepping Stones of Hope, Camp Paz

      4000 N. 7th St. Suite 108

      Phoenix, AZ 85014

      602-264-7520

      steppingstonesofhope.org

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