We have volunteered with Hospice of South Georgia to help provide this camp for several years. Student therapy interns act as co-counselors, working alongside professional counselors who volunteer their time to facilitate the grief groups. Other MFT students provided additional support as camp buddies.

Camp Lean on Me is a two-day children's grief camp experience for ages 6-17 years old. Children gather from all over South Georgia and North Florida to memorialize their loved ones at Camp Lean on Me. During this event, children participate in grief support groups and activities that are led by grief counselors and trained volunteers. On the final day of the two-day camp, their families joined them for a memorial balloon release. Camp Lean on Me is a unique way for children to express emotions and bond with peers from a similar experience. Camp Lean on Me is free and available to all children of families served through Hospice of South Georgia, as well as the community.

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Quotes from students who volunteered

When I heard of the opportunity to volunteer at Camp Lean on Me, I was very excited and knew that the experience would be rewarding and fulfilling,” said Janiya Gibson, a VSU student from Macon, Georgia, who served as a camp buddy. She anticipates earning her Master of Science in Marriage and Family Therapy from VSU in May 2024.
As a future marriage and family therapist, I was able to work with a population that is dear to my heart, as I also lost a loved one as a child. Being able to have those conversations with the children and have them ask how I have continued to live happily and grow up with such a loss was meaningful. They saw themselves in me and I was able to share with them how I have continued to heal over the years. I plan to continue volunteering with the camp as it provides an opportunity for further connection and involvement with the Valdosta and South Georgia community.

News Story:
https://www.valdosta.edu/about/news/releases/2023/01/vsu-mft-students-serve-local-grief-support-program.php