Our first children’s programming launched in 2011 as Camp Tess, a day camp for children experiencing loss. In 2014 The Grief Center acquired a partnership with The Eluna Network, a leader in children’s grief support. The Grief Center launched the Tulsa chapter of Eluna’s Camp Erin that year and held its first weekend bereavement camp for youth ages 6 - 17.  Each year, the waiting list for Camp Erin Tulsa has grown, noting an increase in the demand for child grief support in our community. In an attempt to meet the demand, The Grief Center’s Healing Hearts Club has expanded to reach the needs of students in five Tulsa area school districts. The Healing Hearts Club is The Grief Center’s school-based outreach program, providing loss groups in schools and training for school staff and administrators.
 
A child’s grief can have a huge impact on their adult lives. Grief intervention changes that narrative. When the grief center opened its doors in 2002, its mission was to provide support to community members of all ages. With the significant increase in the demand for children’s grief services, The Grief Center is doing all it can to meet the need. Expanding its clinic space to include a designated space for children and teens and adding additional counselors to its staff  are two of its most detrimental needs that will allow more support for Tulsa area youth and their families.