Our Mission

Our mission is to provide grieving children with the resources to help them cope with their grief and to allow them to spend time with other children who are experiencing a similar situation. We understand that children grieve differently from adults, and that grieving has no set timeframe. A common misconception is that bereavement camps are full of tears and sadness. Not true! Camp is full of fun, good times, and friendship! Most kids don't know that they're not alone until they come to camp. We want each child who attends our camp to leave with a sense of hope, that they are not alone in their grief, and hope that they will continue to seek help in their journey towards healing. Since loss knows no bounds, our camp is provided free of charge to all campers.

Who is eligible to attend Camp Koala?

Any child aged 7-12, who has experienced a recent loss of a parent or sibling is eligible to attend.  Applications are reviewed by our staff to ensure that camp is right for each child.  Camp Koala is provided free of charge to campers, and is supported by a generous donation from the Streett Charitable Foundation and other donors found on our website.

All about camp

Each camper is paired with an adult Big Buddy for the entire weekend.  Our volunteer staff includes an on-site nurse (RN), counselors, therapists and adult buddies, many who have also lost family members. We are thrilled to have students from Drexel University, in the Master's department of Art Therapy joining us as Big Buddies and session leaders, and students, Social Workers and Professors from Shippensburg University as sessions leaders. This fine group includes Shirley Hess, who runs "Drew's Hope", a bereavement group in Shippensburg for children, teens & adults. Some of our 'Bigs' are counselors from other bereavement camps, and love the experience of coming to camps like ours. It's not a sad place, but a place of healing and memory making. That's why volunteers come back year after year.

Kids Learn to be Kids again

Licensed grief counselors, social workers, artists, volunteers and therapists lead several therapeutic group sessions designed to address the age-specific needs of the campers. Under the guidance of our staff, campers participate in activities including art, music, pet therapy & recreation, through which they can explore their emotions. We provide a supportive environment in which campers (if and when they are ready) can share stories about their loved one(s) and their loss(es), and learn techniques to cope with their feelings. Most importantly, kids are given a chance to escape the stresses of day to day life, and learn to be a kid again. All of the activities are specially designed to help campers express themselves and develop bonds with others. Some of the fun we are planning include campfires, s'mores, boating, swimming, archery, hiking, mandalas, mask making, memory boxes and many great activities too numerous to mention! Most of all, the kids have good, clean fun!!!