Sponsor One 2023

Camp Courage is a five-day, four-night camp for children ages 6-10, and Camp Courage – Teens is a five-day, four-night camp for teens ages 11-18.  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

I began working for Annie's Hope in January of this year. This was a new lane to start working in, but one that I have quickly become passionate about.  I have spoken with many families of returning children that attended camp in previous years. The hope children have after camp is unmeasurable. This is often the only time they feel like they can be open and not feel "weird" about their grief. Having a safe place to see they are not the only child with someone who has died in their life and seeing all the different ways people can grieve is an opportunity every child in this circumstance should be able to experience.  We are able to offer this experience without cost to all campers. Because of this many children are getting an opportunity to heal that they would not have otherwise. 

I lost my grandmother in October 2022. It was an odd feeling of sadness, but relief that she was no longer suffering. While working with Annie's Hope I have been able to work through this and understand my feelings. I cannot imagine had I lost her as a child or unexpectedly. Seeing the impact Annie's Hope has had on me is enough for me to understand the importance of camp and all of our programs for all children and families in the St. Louis area. 

The cost for one camper to attend camp is $1,300. My goal is to raise enough for 5 campers to attend. 

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.