Camp Erin Tampa Bay 2024
Camp Dates: April 12-14, 2024
Camp Erin® Tampa Bay is a free bereavement camp for youth grieving the death of a significant person in their lives. Children and teens ages 6 to 17 attend a weekend camp experience that combines grief education and emotional support with fun, traditional camp activities. Led by bereavement professionals and caring volunteers, campers are provided a safe environment to explore their grief, learn essential coping skills, and make friends with peers who are also grieving. Camp Erin Tampa Bay is part of Eluna’s national Camp Erin network. For more information, please visit elunanetwork.org.
Looking for important grief resources to help a child, friend or family member in your community or nationwide? We are proud to share the Eluna Resource Center. Its straightforward design makes it easy to search for articles, videos, activities, and referrals to local programs. In addition, Eluna offers free personalized recommendations with a 24-hour turn-around.
For questions or more information contact Suncoast Kids Place:
camperin@suncoastkidsplace.org or 813-990-0216
Camp Erin allows youth to:
• Tell their story in a safe environment
• Process grief in healthy ways
• Meet friends facing similar circumstances
• Learn they are not alone
• Build a tool-box of coping skills
• Honor and memorialize loved ones
• Have fun!
How Can I Get Involved?
REGISTER YOUR CAMPERS
Camp Erin is offered at no charge to families thanks to Eluna, Bay Hope Church, and New York Life Insurance Company. Camp Erin is filled with traditional, fun camp activities combined with grief education and emotional support. Camp Erin offers a place where campers can interact and bond with peers. It is a place where they can express their feelings of grief, learn coping skills and most importantly, begin their healthy healing grief journey. A Family Interview is required for all Campers. Campers are then accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. Priority is given to campers who have not previously participated in a Camp Erin. Space is limited. *Campers that have previously attended Camp Erin will automatically be added to the waitlist. Please verbally inform us if the child has experienced a significant death since attending.
BECOME A VOLUNTEER
Interested in Volunteering?
Be a part of an incredible weekend as a significant support in the campers’ lives! All Camp Erin volunteers play an important role in the campers’ experience. Volunteers must be 18 years or older and be in good physical condition. Volunteers need to be able to meet a national background check, participate in an orientation interview, and attend a required volunteer training and relevant meetings. New volunteers should also expect to attend a face-to-face interview.
Family members of campers are unable to volunteer the year their camper attends.
What does volunteering look like?
Volunteers should expect to be on the move from 7:00 AM – midnight. Flexibility is key to all volunteer roles. Volunteers should be role models for the campers. They should provide comfort and support while participating with the campers through the camp activities. Most importantly we ask volunteers to create a positive, fun, and energetic atmosphere for the campers.
DONATE OR SPONSOR
Camp Erin Tampa Bay is in need of many supplies to make this an amazing weekend for the campers. Please email CampErin@SuncoastKidsPlace.org if you are interested in sponsoring or donating.
Sponsorships Available:
T-Shirts
Have your company name and logo on the back of the Camp Erin Tampa Bay T-shirts worn by campers, volunteers, and staff.
$1,500.00
Comfort Bears
Provide new stuffed bears for seventy children as a comfort item.
$750.00
Baseball Caps
Provide a baseball cap for the campers and volunteers that includes your company name and logo. A donation of hats is also welcome.
$700.00
Fund-A-Camper
Send a child to Camp Erin Tampa Bay.
$350.00 per camper
Donate New/Lightly Used Items
Gift cards (Walmart, Dollar Tree, Amazon)
Individually wrapped snacks (allergy friendly)
Juice Boxes
Bottled Water
Coloring books (kid and adult)
Craft supplies (markers, paint, crayons, etc.)
Flashlights
Batteries
Duffel bags
Fiddle toys (stress balls, bendy characters, squish balls, etc)
Individual tissue packs
About the Camp Erin Network
Camp Erin is the largest national bereavement program for youth who are grieving the death of a significant person in their lives. Children and teens ages 6 to 17 attend a weekend camp experience that combines grief education and emotional support with fun, traditional camp activities. Led by bereavement professionals and caring volunteers, campers are provided a safe environment to explore their grief, learn essential coping skills, and make friends with peers who are also grieving. Additional services are offered to support the whole family outside of the camp weekend. Through a network of partnerships with bereavement programs in local communities across the US and Canada, Camp Erin brings hope and healing to thousands of children and families annually and is offered at no cost to families.
About Eluna
Eluna’s mission is to support children, teens and families impacted by grief or addiction. Founded in 2000, we offer community-building camps, interpersonal connections and a continuum of support for youth and families. Eluna’s three signature programs are provided at no cost: Camp Erin, the largest grief camp network for school-aged youth and their families; Camp Mariposa, an addiction prevention and mentoring program for youth ages 9-17; and the Eluna Resource Center, which provides research-based education and personalized support. Eluna has supported over 50,000 youth campers and their families through our network of partnerships with over 50 non-profit community organizations across the US and Canada.
The Eluna Resource Center (ERC) is an online hub featuring innovative resources including activities, videos, books, program referrals, and tip sheets (Spanish and English) in support of youth and families impacted by grief or addiction.
The Eluna Resource Center also offers:
Personalized Support: offered in both Spanish and English by Sarah Behm (sarahbehm@elunanetwork.org or through the Eluna website here). Learn more here.
Eluna Cares: personalized care packages to children and teens ages 6-17 impacted by grief, addiction, or a suicide death. Learn more here.
Community Conversations addressing stigma by exploring topics relating to grief and addiction, the effects of these issues on our communities, and what each of us can do to help. Learn more here.