Comfort Zone Camp Expands Regional Footprint to Bring Free Grief Support to New Hampshire

With 21,000 New Hampshire Children Grieving a Parent or Sibling, Non-profit Bereavement Camp Brings Solace and Group Sessions This August

RICHMOND, Va., May 06, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Comfort Zone Camp (CZC), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the estimated 6.4 million American children who will experience the death of a parent or sibling before the age of 18, today announced it has expanded its regional footprint to offer its first free weekend camp in New Hampshire, taking place August 14-16 at Camp Tevya in Brookline, NH.

A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.

Since 1998, CZC has seen 26,000 children benefit from the ability to grieve with others rather than alone. Each CZC camper is paired with a trained volunteer, or Big Buddy, from the start. Camp weekends feature challenge courses, s'mores, and Healing Circles℠ – small-group sessions led by licensed mental health professionals where campers are encouraged to share their stories and learn useful coping skills.

The inaugural New Hampshire program marks CZC's third active camp in New England, where the organization has run free weekend programs in Sandwich and Palmer, Massachusetts since 2009.

"This new camp in southern New Hampshire reflects the growing need in the New England region, having reached 2,500 campers who have sat in Healing Circles℠, benefitted from having a Big Buddy for the weekend, and have left camp on Sunday feeling less alone than when they arrived," says David Hull, Chair of the Comfort Zone Camp New England Regional Advisory Council. "By expanding to New Hampshire, we're deepening our commitment to serving more families with accessible, in-person programs that foster healing, connection, and community. The impact of these camps extends far beyond the weekend and shapes how these kids carry their grief and move forward in life."

Childhood Bereavement in New Hampshire

According to the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM), 1 in 12 children in New Hampshire will lose a parent or sibling before turning 18. Grief shapes many parts of a young person’s life. For example, 97 percent of teachers say unaddressed grief interferes with learning. Additionally, one in four young people who die by suicide were previously or recently bereaved, and the risk of developing a substance abuse disorder in adulthood is 175 percent higher for bereaved youth.

"When I lost my parents as a kid, there were no resources. Grief was hard and lonely and something we simply didn't talk about," says Lynne Hughes, Founder & CEO of Comfort Zone Camp and 2025 L'Oréal Paris Women of Worth honoree. "That's still true for too many children, which is why getting to them early matters as much as it does. What I have watched happen at CZC weekends for 26 years is that kids pull up to camp not knowing anyone, and within a few hours, they're leaning in and saying, 'me too.' They tell their stories. They go toward the grief instead of away from it. That access to community and support early on is what changes the trajectory for these kids."

Open to Families and Volunteers

Comfort Zone Camp's free New Hampshire grief-support program will be held August 14-16, 2026, at Camp Tevya in Brookline, New Hampshire. The program is open to children ages 7-17, and 18 if they are still in high school, who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or other close loved one.

Every CZC weekend is offered at no cost to families, with transportation scholarships available for those who need them. The mission has always been to make sure that a child's access to healing is not determined by their family's financial circumstances. Families interested in registering a child can visit www.comfortzonecamp.org to learn more and complete an enrollment form.

CZC is actively recruiting volunteers to support the New Hampshire camp weekend. CZC provides full training, and volunteers are matched with campers to serve as mentors and guides throughout the weekend. To learn more about volunteering or to support CZC's work in New England, visit www.comfortzonecamp.org

About Comfort Zone Camp

Comfort Zone Camp is a nonprofit that provides free weekend programs for grieving children ages 7-17 who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or other close loved one. Founded in 1998 by Lynne Hughes, herself bereaved as a child, CZC has served more than 26,000 children across the United States. Programs pair traditional camp activities with Healing Circles℠ led by licensed mental health professionals, giving kids tools and a community of peers who understand. Learn more at www.comfortzonecamp.org

​Media Contacts

Krista Collopy kcollopy@comfortzonecamp.org

Jamie Hughes jamie@comfortzonecamp.org

Edil Cuepo edil@picklemediaco.com

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