Sponsor One 2021
A nonprofit fundraiser supporting
Annie's Hope - The Center for Grieving KidsSponsor One is a fundraising effort to support grieving children through Annie's Hope summer camps.
$1,170
raised by 20 people
$2,000 goal
I'M GOING TO CAMP!
I'm going to a very special camp where every camper is grieving the death of a significant person in their life. Camp Courage is a five-day, four-night in-person camp, and Camp Courage - Virtual is a five-day virtual camp for kids ages 6 - 18 who grieve a death. Campers get to experience the joy a summer camp setting can offer, all while connecting with others who understand the pain of grief.
Annie's Hope - The Center for Grieving Kids is a St. Louis-based nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting grieving kids, teens, and their families. Annie's Hope provides free grief support services through 10 different programs to thousands of kids and their families each year. All Annie's Hope programs, including Camp, are funded by grants and donations, which allows them to be offered to families free of charge.
What Camp Means to Me
Camp saved my life when I was 16 years old and suffered the loss of my cousin. Nate was the closest thing I had to an older brother. He gave me life advice on sports and girls, taught me how to ride a dirtbike, and had an unrivaled capacity of caring for others. When he unexpectedly died in a car accident, I didn't know who to turn to, how to grieve, and suffered from extreme depression coupled with suicidal thoughts. Luckily, my family sought help, and I ended up attending this very camp as a camper. This camp provided me the proper outlets and tools to grieve my cousin's death. It made such an impact in my life, that the only way I feel I can show how thankful I am, is to pay it forward. I have volunteered as a counselor each year that I have been capable since 2006 (This will be my 15th year!). If you are capable, please consider donating to this cause so you can help make a difference in a child's life that was once made in my life!
Why Sponsor One?
With your help and financial support, we can change the way children deal with the pain of their grief. By sponsoring one child, we turn their sadness into joy, their loneliness into new friendships, and their fear into hope.
Below, a 13-year-old camper describes her experience at Camp Courage after the death of her father:
“I am so glad I got to come because I met people who get what I’m going through…Everyone was welcoming, no one forced me to talk, and people listened when I wanted to talk.” When asked whether she would tell other grieving kids to come to Camp Courage, this camper gave a big yes explaining, “It was super fun while teaching me about grief at the same time. They’ll never want to leave.”
All funds raised by this Sponsor One campaign will directly impact the campers supported by Annie's Hope, who all have grief stories similar to the one above.
Please Donate
I hope you will partner with me on my Sponsor One campaign, so we can give grieving kids the support and hope they need. My goal of $925 will cover the full financial value of attending Camp Courage for one camper. Together, we can heal broken hearts and help kids feel like kids again.
All donations are tax-deductible and can be given in a number of ways. Online donations through this page or through www.annieshope.org are completely secure. Credit card information can be taken over the phone by calling Annie's Hope office at (314) 965-5015, or you can send a contribution directly to Annie's Hope. Please include my name and make checks payable to Annie's Hope.
Checks should be mailed to:
Annie's Hope
Attn: Sponsor One, (camp counselor's name here)
1333 W. Lockwood
Suite 104
St. Louis, MO 63122
Also, don't forget to check with your company about matching donations. Many companies match dollar for dollar up to a certain amount. This is an easy way to double your impact!
I hope we can work together to Sponsor One camper! You can learn more about Annie's Hope - The Center for Grieving Kids at www.annieshope.org.
Thank you so much for your support.