New York, NY, May 11, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- (via NGO Wire) Experience Camps, a nonprofit that champions the nation’s 5.6 million grieving children, today will present the inaugural Experience Camps Champion of Children Award to Will Reeve, journalist and ABC News correspondent, and its corporate award to the New York Life Foundation. The award honors leaders in creating a more “grief smart” culture.
“While grief isn't something I think about day in and day out, after all these years, the loss of my parents impacts me daily,” Will Reeve said, dedicating the award to his late father Christopher Reeve and late mother Dana Reeve, as well as his adoptive parents Ralph and Ann Pucci. “In accepting this honor, I hope millions of grieving children will see that even though grief is always there, it’s possible to have a good life and be surrounded by people who care.”
The New York Life Foundation was recognized with the corporate award for pioneering funding, research and advocacy in the field of childhood bereavement, as well as its generous support of Experience Camps and other childhood grief organizations. New York Life Foundation grants helped Experience Camps pivot to a virtual program during the height of the pandemic and are advancing the nonprofit’s efforts to engage children from diverse backgrounds, who are more likely to experience the death of a parent.
“The New York Life Foundation partnered with Experience Camps because their model allows children to engage in a transformational experience that combines traditional, fun camp activities with grief education and emotional support, all free of charge," said Maria Collins, vice president of the New York Life Foundation. "Bereavement camps provide a unique opportunity for youth to build coping skills, tell their story in a safe environment and have the opportunity to meet new friends facing similar circumstances."
The awards will be presented at a special benefit for Experience Camps in New York City. Callie Gullickson, Peloton Instructor, will serve as the event host and Ian O’Malley will lead a fundraising auction. Jaylen, a 13-year-old Experience Camps program participant, will present the honorees with The Experience Camp Champion of Children award. Engraved in elm, it represents the Memory Garden that bereaved children create at each of the ten no-cost summer camps run by Experience Camps. Children take log sections and write dedications to their parent or sibling who died, forming a memorial they can revisit each year.
“It means a lot to present this award to Will Reeve knowing that he has dealt with grief as a child and managed to develop empathy to make a difference as a reporter,” Jaylen said. “When my father died, not only was it difficult to deal with but, with the exception of Experience Camps, there weren’t a lot of positive resources and places I could find to help me. So, I also want to thank the New York Life Foundation for making it possible for kids like me to go to Experience Camps.”
The fundraising event is designed to meet a growing need. Despite growing its program capacity 140%, the Experience Camps waiting list nearly quadrupled in the four years before the pandemic. Since then, nearly 200,000 children have gone through the death of a parent due to Covid-19, in addition to the millions more who are grieving a death due to other causes. Research shows that bereaved children are at far greater risk for mental health challenges, academic decline, substance misuse, teen pregnancy and suicide. They are 50% more likely to die by early adulthood. Profound loss in childhood can undermine a child’s future – or, with support, it can lead to post-traumatic growth.
"Every day, I focus on creating spaces where everyone is welcome and can move through a full range of emotions, from grief to triumph. I'm excited to lend my support to Experience Camps, which works to change the lives of grieving children," said Callie Gullickson, Peloton Instructor, who will serve as the event host. "As someone who cares passionately about wellbeing, I not only hope to support fundraising for the cause, but to help raise awareness that childhood grief isn't just a personal tragedy, it's an urgent public health issue."
“This award is designed to shine a bright light on the issue of childhood grief and to build a strong community that can transform isolation into strength and resilience,” Sara Deren, founder and CEO of Experience Camps. “We deeply appreciate the leadership of Will Reeve and the New York Life Foundation and the involvement of people like Callie Gullickson and Ian O’Malley, which is helping to build a more grief smart culture at a time when it has never been needed more.”
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About Experience Camps
Experience Camps is a nonprofit that champions the nation’s 5.6 million bereaved children and runs a network of no-cost camps that help grieving children thrive. With 10 locations that deliver no-cost services to youth, ages nine – 18, from 32 U.S. states, Experience Camps has spent more than 520,000 hours equipping grieving children with the confidence, coping skills and support to live a life full of possibility.
