Camp Erin Tampa Bay 2025

 

Camp Dates: March 14-16, 2025

Request your application today! Applications will be available from December 2, 2024 - February 1, 2025.

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.

Campers will be selected on a first-come, first-served basis, with priority given to new campers*. A family interview is required to assess each camper’s readiness. Acceptance status will be communicated after the interview.

Space is limited.

*Campers who have previously attended Camp Erin will be added to the waitlist.  Please verbally inform the staff if your child has experienced another significant death since last attending.

Request your application today!

Applications will be available from December 2, 2024 - February 1, 2025.

BECOME A VOLUNTEER

Interested in Volunteering?

Volunteer Roles

  • provide essential support and supervision for their assigned cabin group (approximately 8-12 campers). This includes eating meals with campers, participating in grief and recreational activities, and providing guidance and appropriate discipline as needed. Cabin Big Buddies must be present for the entire camp and sleep in the cabin with their campers.

  • provide additional support and supervision to a cabin of campers of the opposite gender. They are responsible for eating meals with the campers, participating in grief and recreational activities, and providing guidance and appropriate discipline as needed. Unlike Cabin Big Buddies, they do not sleep in the cabin with the campers but must still be present for the entire camp.

  • are not assigned to a cabin but play a crucial role in ensuring a smooth running of the camp. Responsibilities will vary, but may include assisting with registration and parking, supporting recreational and grief-related activities, and overseeing setup and teardown. Support Volunteers will sleep in the cabin with other adults and must be present for the entire weekend.

    This also includes some Specialized Roles

    • Camp Nurse (current RN req.)

    • Photographer

    • Therapy Dog Owner (certification req.)

  • provide essential emotional support and guidance to their assigned cabin group. As a Cabin Leader, you will facilitate cabin circle time, accompany campers to meals and activities, and report on each camper's progress to the Clinical Director. You will also lead your team of volunteers and sleep in the cabin with your campers. To qualify for this role, you must have specific training in counseling or a related field and be committed to attending the entire camp.

  • provide essential support to grieving adults on Friday and Sunday. As a Caregiver Volunteer, you will lead small groups of adult caregivers, offering empathy and understanding. On Saturday, this role will assist the Support Volunteers.

Join our team of dedicated volunteers! To qualify, you must be 18 or older, in good physical health, and able to pass a national background check. You must also attend an interview, volunteer training, and any relevant meetings.

What does volunteering look like?  Volunteers make a difference in the lives of grieving children. By participating in camp activities, providing a supportive environment, and creating a positive atmosphere, you can help campers to experience and express their grief. Expect a busy weekend, as volunteers are typically on their feet from 7:30 AM to midnight.

Family members of campers are unable to volunteer the year their camper attends.

Request your application today!

Applications will be available from December 2, 2024 - February 1, 2025.

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.