About Camp Purple Parachute

Camp Purple Parachute, sponsored by Victim’s Inc., is a bereavement camp for children 6-15 years of age. Located on the wooded grounds of the Strafford County YMCA in Rochester, New Hampshire it is the only camp of its kind in the seacoast region. Camp Purple Parachute is now in its fourth year of offering its services to children who have experienced the death of a significant person in their life. This annual summer program is run by trained volunteers (many from Victim’s Inc., a local trauma assistance group) and could not take place without the many kind donations received over the years from area individuals and businesses.

The two-day sleepover program brings together young campers with a common bond to participate in activities designed to help them explore the grieving process. Grief-related activities are conducted in small groups led by our trained staff. These structured activities are based on the knowledge that children can learn to cope with death when they are provided with the appropriate opportunities to understand and express their grief in a healthy way. Camp Purple Parachute provides a safe and caring environment where children learn that their feelings are normal and that grieving is an ongoing process.