Camp Mariposa Comes to South Carolina

Launching Camp Mariposa in a new location is exciting, but also involves a lot of research, outreach, dialogue, and time invested to truly understand the needs of the community. Thanks to the support of a three-year Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention grant, Eluna is pleased to open its newest Camp Mariposa location in Anderson County South Carolina later this summer. This new Camp Mariposa will be offered in partnership with the Youth Leadership Institute at Clemson University and is the Camp’s first location in South Carolina.

Where There is a Need, Camp Mariposa Offers Hope 

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), more than 106,000 persons in the U.S. died from drug-involved overdose in 2021.  In South Carolina, drug overdose deaths involving fentanyl increased more than 35% in 2021, and fentanyl was involved in more than two-thirds of all opioid-involved overdose deaths in the state.  Statistics like these drove the https://yli.sites.clemson.edu/ to seek out ways to help local youth counter the effects of growing up in the shadow of addiction and break the cycle through the community, connections and continuum of support offered by Eluna’s Camp Mariposa.

Youth Leadership Institute (YLI) is a South Carolina non-profit that serves 25,000-30,000 children and youth annually. Focused on youth development, research, and training, YLI was introduced to Eluna by Dr. Ed Bowers, a Clemson professor who has been working with Eluna for several years as part of the Camp Mariposa evaluation team. Janel Rae Crowder, Director of Grants at YLI, has led diverse YLI programming initiatives and was interested in partnering with Eluna to support the youth in Anderson County who have family or loved ones caught in the cycle of addiction. Eluna secured funding for the project through a grant by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Protection and worked with Janel and the YLI team to develop a strategy for bringing Camp Mariposa to Anderson County, the epicenter of opioid addiction in South Carolina.

Promise and Hope for North Country Children 

YLI has 4 camp facilities throughout South Carolina and partners with local organizations to serve 25,000-30,000 youth and children annually through a wide range of programs and services, from charter schools to snap programs and professional development.  As a Camp Mariposa network partner, YLI mirrors Eluna’s own model (100% free to children, youth and families who participate). Thanks to the hard work of key people across the board at Eluna, YLI, and the United Way, Camp Mariposa Anderson County South Carolina will officially kick off in August for children ages 9-12 and teens, ages 13-17. Each Camp participant—mentors and youth—commits to four camp weekends, every other month, for at least one year. Between camp months, there are fun events and programs to keep the families and kids connected and engaged in the learning and community they develop from the first camp forward. Once individuals enroll in Camp Mariposa, many of the participants have the option to participate for multiple years, continuing the connective, supportive community in which they feel safe and heard.

“So many kids don’t have support systems. This gives them the community and support they need to sustain them and help them see a better way.” – Janel Rae Crowder