EC-impact-report-2023-final1 - Flipbook - Page 21
We opened a new
camp program in
Maryland.
Children of color experience
death and grief at earlier ages
and more frequently than white
children, creating a racial “grief
gap” that leads to long-lasting
and disproportionate physical,
emotional, financial, and systemic
consequences. We spent a lot
of time and thought figuring out
how to best address this gap.
One action we took included
selecting Maryland as a new
program site in 2023, in part
because research showed us that
47% of D.C. kids have suffered a
traumatic experience, including the
death of someone close to them. For
the last seven years, Baltimore has
had over 300 homicides per year.
Before launching camp, we built
relationships with organizational
partners in local Maryland
communities. We held two
in-person “Playing through Grief’’
events in Baltimore and D.C. These
workshops provided grieving kids
with activities and games and gave
them tools to navigate their feelings.
We reached over 75 kids and
caregivers through our partnerships
with Baltimore City Public Schools,
the DC Dream Center, the DC
Metropolitan Police Department,
and the T.I.M.E. Organization.
In August, we opened our camp
program in Maryland to 70 campers,
who experienced play, friendships,
belonging, and the chance to share
their grief out loud (many for the very
first time). We set down roots and
made bonds — and we can’t wait
to return to Maryland next summer.
RIPPLES AT CAMP
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