Camp Brave Heart

Children and teens who are grieving can experience a sense of isolation as they struggle with deep and complicated feelings. Often, they do not know anyone one else who has suffered a similar loss.

Camp Brave Heart is a bereavement camp offered at no cost for children and teens who are grieving the death of someone important in their life. It is a fun, high-energy camp combined with grief education, peer bonding, and emotional support led by grief support professionals and trained volunteers. Through shared recreational and therapeutic activities, we help campers learn they are not alone as well as skills to cope with their grief as they go forward in life.

Camp takes place at John Knox Ranch in the Texas Hill Country and is 4 days/3 nights. Over the four days, campers hear each other’s stories, explore their grief in a safe and understanding environment, and learn ways to help them cope with their loss.

Applications for Camp Brave Heart 2024 will be available in the spring of 2024.

Dates will be announced here in late 2023 or early 2024.

Camp Brave Heart 2024 will be for children and teens who are in 1st – 12th grades in the 2023-2024 school year.

Campers are accepted on a first come first serve basis, however the following children will be given priority:
– Have never attended Camp Brave Heart or 2018’s Camp Erin Central Texas
– Have only had the chance to attend Camp Brave Heart virtually (2020 or 2021)
– Have attended Camp Brave Heart and experienced another death since attending

If a child or teen has attended in a previous year and they do not fall into a category above, they will be placed on a waitlist. Any remaining camper spots will be offered to these applicants. Space will depend on age groups that have room for additional campers.

If you have any questions about Camp Brave Heart, please contact:
Bereavement Supervisor Maggie Cochran at 512-342-4784; mcochran@hospiceaustin.org
Bereavement Assistant Esmeralda Huerta at 512-342-4760; ehuerta@hospiceaustin.org
Las dos hablan español.

Camp Brave Heart is provided to families free of charge due in large part to the financial support of generous donors.

Hospice Austin offers additional bereavement support services for children, teens and adults. If you would like further information about our resources or other grief resources in the community, please call 512-342-4700 or click here.

Camp Brave Heart 2023
To see pictures from the 2023 camp, please click here.

Check out CBS Austin’s story on Camp Brave Heart 2023!

A Letter from a Camper

I went to Camp Brave Heart honestly thinking it wouldn’t help. Then I got to camp. It was ok to cry, ask questions, tell people how you really felt. We did things that helped me understand what I was feeling. And there was nothing awkward when you said “My _____ passed,” because we all understood the feeling well enough in order to not make someone else feel it. At Camp Brave Heart, I also made lifetime bonds with four friends who also lost their dads. We meet up on holidays, birthdays, any day we can really, and my little brother does the same with his friends he made at camp. Thank you for letting me tell you how Camp Brave Heart has helped me even now when I’m 14.

Have a nice day,
Madison

Madison attended camp when she was 12 and wrote this letter at 14. After turning 18, Madison volunteered at Camp Brave Heart for several summers to help other children cope with losing someone they love.