Eluna Network: Free Grief Support for Children, Teens, and Families

By Gabriel Killian, Navy Veteran and Founder of Memorial Merits

Updated August 25, 2026. Program information reviewed against current Eluna Network resources and program guidance.

What Eluna Network Offers Families Facing Grief or Addiction#

Eluna Network is a nonprofit that supports children, teens, and families affected by grief or by addiction within the family. Its programs include Camp Erin, a national network of free grief camps; Camp Erin Online; Camp Mariposa, an addiction prevention and mentoring program; and the Eluna Resource Center, which helps families find resources, local programs, and personalized support.

For a parent, caregiver, or family member trying to figure out where to turn, that range matters. A grieving child may need something very different from a child living with a family member’s substance use disorder. Eluna provides several starting points rather than expecting every family to need the same kind of help.

What Is Eluna Network?#

Eluna focuses on children, teens, and families navigating two difficult areas: grief and the effects of addiction within a family.

Instead of operating as one single support program, Eluna connects families with camps, online programs, resource discovery, personalized guidance, and community-based services. This makes it particularly useful when you know a child or family needs help but are not yet sure what type of support would fit best.

For families dealing specifically with a death, Camp Erin is the program most likely to be relevant. Families affected by substance use may be better served by Camp Mariposa. Parents, caregivers, and professionals who need help finding resources or programs can also begin with the Eluna Resource Center.

Camp Erin: A Free Grief Camp for Children and Teens#

Camp Erin is Eluna’s national network of free grief camps for children, teens, and families who have experienced the death of a significant person in their lives.

The program combines traditional camp experiences with grief education and support. Depending on the local program, families may find day camps, overnight experiences, and other formats designed to let young people spend time with peers who understand what it is like to grieve.

That combination is important.

Children can sometimes feel different from classmates or friends after someone close to them passes. Camp Erin gives them an environment where grief is already understood. They can participate in ordinary camp activities, build relationships, remember the person who passed, develop coping skills, and experience moments of fun without being expected to stop grieving.

Camp Erin programs are supported by bereavement professionals, trained volunteers, and local community partners. Because the program operates through a national network rather than one central campground, dates, formats, and eligibility can vary by location.

For families searching for a grief camp for kids, Camp Erin is worth checking even if they have never heard of Eluna Network before.

Is Camp Erin only for children?#

Camp Erin is centered on grieving youth, but many of its programs also involve parents, caregivers, or families. The appropriate program depends on the local Camp Erin partner and the type of session being offered.

Rather than assuming a specific location will fit your family, use Eluna’s program finder to check current options and contact the local organization running the camp.

Camp Erin Online: Grief Support Beyond In-Person Camps#

Families who cannot easily reach an in-person grief camp may still have an option through Camp Erin Online.

Camp Erin Online brings youth and adult caregivers together through online grief support, shared activities, and opportunities to connect with other families who have experienced a death.

That can be especially useful when distance, transportation, scheduling, or the availability of a nearby camp makes an in-person program difficult.

It also gives families another way to introduce a child or teen to grief support without requiring the experience to begin in a traditional counseling office.

Eluna Resource Center: Free Grief Resources and Personalized Support#

Not every family needs a camp.

Sometimes the immediate question is much simpler: Where do I find the right resource for what my child is going through?

The Eluna Resource Center is designed for that problem.

Families can search resources such as activities, videos, books, tip sheets, and conversation starters. Eluna also provides a National Program Guide that can help families locate camps, groups, online options, and other support programs.

For someone who does not know what to search for, Eluna also offers personalized support. Its team can help identify relevant resources and local referrals based on the family’s circumstances, with support available in English and Spanish.

This part of Eluna may be particularly useful for parents or caregivers who feel overwhelmed by the number of grief resources online and would rather have help narrowing the options.

Camp Mariposa: Support for Children Affected by Family Addiction#

Camp Mariposa serves a different need from Camp Erin.

Camp Mariposa is not a grief camp.

It is a free, year-round addiction prevention and mentoring program for children and teens affected by the substance use of a family member.

The program serves youth ages 9 through 17 and combines traditional camp experiences with education, mentoring, peer connection, and support. Its purpose is to give young people a place to build coping skills, confidence, healthy relationships, and an understanding that they are not alone in what is happening within their family.

That distinction is worth making because families searching Eluna may encounter both Camp Erin and Camp Mariposa. One primarily addresses bereavement after a death. The other supports young people affected by addiction within the family.

Who Can Eluna’s Programs Help?#

The easiest way to think about Eluna is to start with what the family needs.

• A child or teen grieving a death: Start with Camp Erin.
• A family that needs an online grief option: Look at Camp Erin Online.
• A child affected by a family member’s substance use: Explore Camp Mariposa.
• A parent or caregiver looking for grief or addiction resources: Start with the Eluna Resource Center.
• Someone who needs help finding local support: Use Eluna’s program finder or personalized support.
• A counselor, educator, hospice professional, or other support professional: The Resource Center also provides tools and resources that can help professionals supporting children and families.

There does not have to be a perfect understanding of what type of support is needed before reaching out. One of the strengths of Eluna’s model is that families can begin with resource discovery and move toward a more specific program from there.

How to Find Camp Erin or Access Eluna Resources#

If you are looking specifically for a Camp Erin location, the safest approach is to use Eluna’s current Find a Camp Near You tool.

Camp locations, dates, formats, and local partners can change. Using Eluna’s directory avoids relying on an old list of grief camps that may no longer reflect what is available in your area.

If there is no Camp Erin nearby, that does not necessarily mean there are no options. Camp Erin Online may be available, and the Eluna Resource Center can help families search for other grief programs and resources.

Families looking for support beyond Eluna can also visit the Memorial Merits Grief Support resources or browse our free grief support downloads, guides, and resources.

About the Author Gabriel Killian Founder, Memorial Merits · US Navy Certified Instructor · #1 in Journal Writing on Amazon Memorial Merits began out of personal loss, and out of finding that almost nothing available at the time gave a family a straight answer on cost, rights, or paperwork. Gabriel Killian built it to be that answer, and writes from lived experience rather than theory. Every partner named on this site is vetted before it is recommended, and every price is verified against the provider’s own checkout. He is the author of the Legacy Journal series, ranked #1 in Journal Writing and 5-star rated on Amazon. His work in the end-of-life space has been published by Sociology Group, the Animal Hospice Group and Memoria Sky, cited by Google AI Overviews, and adapted for training use by U.S. Army CASCOM. Verified researcher, ORCID 0009-0008-0751-6129. As Featured In CBS · ABC · Fox · AP · Business Life Magazine · The New York Telegraph · Insider Weekly · Tampa Bay Observer · Benzinga · SociologyGroup.com · Animal Hospice Group · MemoriaSky.com Member in the Spotlight, Home Funeral Alliance · Cake.com Professional Directory · Cited by Google AI Overviews Memorial Merits Amazon Author Page LinkedIn