Moorestown Group Announce Change To Children's Grief Camp

MOORESTOWN, NJ — Moorestown Visiting Nurses & Hospice has announced changes to their Camp Firefly grief support program for children in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

In the past, the overnight grief support program was held over the course of a weekend. However, overnight camps are not permitted in New Jersey through the summer in order to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

So this year, Camp Firefly will be presented as “Camp-in-a-Box,” a comprehensive program that uses age-appropriate online resources, telehealth conferences and physical materials to help the children process their grief and develop positive coping skills for the future.

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The Camp Firefly program is available in 2020 to bereaved children ages 7-14 from Burlington, Camden or Gloucester counties.

The program will be held in accordance with recommendations from the state and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for best practices related to camp activities and social distancing this summer.

It is free and space is limited. Anyone who know of a child who is grieving or who is interested in learning more about the Camp Firefly 2020 “Camp-in-a-Box” program can contact Moorestown Visiting Nurses & Hospice at 856-552-1300 or services@moorestownvna.org.

The Camp Firefly grief support program for children is part of the agency’s mission to provide community health care services that promote health, independence, and dignity, and to teach people to care for themselves and each other.

As such, their highest priority is to maintain and protect the health and safety of the children, families, volunteers and staff who come together at Camp Firefly each year.

Recognizing the importance of grief counseling for children who have experienced a loss, Moorestown Visiting Nurses & Hospice will meet their needs by continuing supportive services this summer in the form of their Digital Camp Firefly “Camp-in-a-Box” program with a goal to provide a meaningful and constructive experience for all who take part.

“We’re rising to the challenge of continuing to support grieving children and their families during this pandemic,” Moorestown VNA President/CEO Chickie Holcombe said. “More than ever we need to work together for the health and safety of our children and all of our community. Re-inventing Camp Firefly so we can still deliver our promise of grief support is just one of the ways we’ve adapted.”

At the end of August, each registered child will receive an age-appropriate “Camp-in-a- Box” filled with activities and information centered on understanding their grief, preserving their cherished memories, and building positive coping skills for the future.

Activities will include a memorial lantern that the children will design and light with a safe (battery operated) candle, an inside/out box that will allow them to express their innermost feelings, and workbook activities that will help them open up to their counselor through the grieving process.

The box will also contain some fun summer activities and surprises to be enjoyed and shared with family and friends. All will be contained in a keepsake knapsack printed with an acknowledgment of key Camp Firefly sponsors and donors.

Counselors will be available online to help guide children and their guardians through the grief activities and provide support during their sessions. Moorestown Visiting Nurses & Hospice will also build a monitored, safe, online “Camp Firefly” community where children can share projects, thoughts and ideas with their peers who have experienced similar loss.

Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know