Rates of childhood grief
- Approximately 6.3 million U.S. children will experience the death of a parent or sibling by the time they are 18.
- 1/12 U.S. children will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18
- In 2022, 1,089 kids in the U.S. were newly bereaved each day.
The need to talk about grief
- 54% of people struggle to find grief resources.
- 57% of those who lost a parent during childhood report that support from family and friends waned within 3 months, although it took an average of six years to move forward.
COVID-19 and grief
- Over 1.2 million people in the United States died from COVID-19.
- COVID-19 related deaths of relatives who represent key sources of social support can fundamentally alter youths’ economic security and, in turn, the success and timing of their transition to adulthood.
Potential impacts of childhood bereavement
- Childhood grief is associated with: developmental disruptions, including relationship, academic, and career functioning; substance abuse; mental health challenges, including depression and suicide; and poverty.
- Death has an intergenerational impact. Among adults who lost a parent when they were growing up, 79% said that when they became a parent, they missed having the guidance of the parent who died. 80% said the experience was the hardest thing they ever had to face.
- A report by New York Life Foundation and American Federation of Teachers found that students who have lost a parent or guardian typically exhibit:
- Difficulty concentrating in class (observed by 87% of teachers)
- Withdrawal/disengagement and less class participation (observed by 82%)
- Absenteeism (observed by 72%)
- Decrease in quality of work (observed by 68%)
- Less reliability in turning in assignments (observed by 66%)
Experience Camps by the Numbers
- In 2024, we had 1,244 campers at camps in Maine, California, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Maui, Maryland, and Michigan.
- 83% of our campers returned from prior years
- Our campers came from 42 states and eight countries (including the U.S.)