Camp Sunrise - A Grief Camp for Kids and Teens

We are delighted to announce the return of our three-day overnight camp for 2024! This year, Camp Sunrise will be held from June 14th to June 16th at Suttle Lake Camp.

Camp Sunrise is founded on the understanding that every child deserves the opportunity to grieve in a safe, supportive, and understanding environment. With loving support, children grieving a death can share their experiences with acceptance as they move through the healing process.

Camp Sunrise has typically been offered to children ages 7-14 residing in Central Oregon who have experienced the loss of a loved one. This year, for the first time, we are offering a teen program at Camp Sunrise in addition to the children’s program. This means that this year, we will have a children’s program for children ages 7-12 years old and a teen program for teens ages 13-17 years old.

The children’s program will have structured games, music, art, stories, and other therapies to teach bereaved campers about grief and how to understand their feelings. The teen program will have some of these elements woven into a mature program with age-specific topics based on teens’ unique needs.

We are pleased to offer our campers support from a professional, trained staff and volunteers.

The camp is open to up to 40 children and teens who reside in Deschutes, Jefferson, and Crook counties and is offered at no charge.

Youth are referred to Camp Sunrise from various sources, including schools, churches, counselors, and organizations/agencies serving youth and families. Hospice counselors interview the children and their caregivers prior to camp to verify they are appropriate for this camp experience. During the interview, we explain the purpose and premise of the program, so families are prepared to participate. We also offer specifically designed educational sessions for parents, providing them skills to strengthen their understanding of how to be an effective support system for their children. Post-camp support is also offered to the campers’ parents to further enhance the grieving child’s journey to health.

We know that although everyone has a different way of grieving, no one needs to go through it alone. We are honored to walk through grief with you.