The Brave of Heart Fund Awards Eluna Funding for COVID-19 Support of Frontline Healthcare Workers
(Philadelphia, PA) – The Brave of Heart Fund has awarded Eluna with a two-year $500,000 grant for its national Camp Erin bereavement network to provide critical support to healthcare workers and their families grieving the death of a loved one from COVID-19. This opportunity is made possible through a partnership with the Brave of Heart Fund, founded by the foundations of New York Life and Cigna and administered by E4E Relief. It was established to provide charitable grants and emotional support services to families of frontline healthcare workers, volunteers, and support staff whose lives were lost in the fight against COVID-19. “Our hearts break for the families who lost loved ones on the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19, and the thousands of children who lost parents and primary care givers. We are deeply honored to support the ongoing work of Eluna, and its efforts to address the critical needs of children experiencing overwhelming grief.”[EH1] Holly Welch Stubbing, E4E Relief President & CEO.
With this two-year grant, Eluna plans to provide five family day camps, clinician led virtual support opportunities, and specialized programming to assist with outreach to healthcare workers and their families grieving a death related to covid-19. “Over 200,000 youth in the US alone have lost a primary caregiver to COVID-19. The isolation, depression, anxiety and adverse impact on mental health for everyone who has lost a loved one during the pandemic requires enhanced support and none more than our incredibly dedicated healthcare workers who have sacrificed enormously to help others. It is our honor to offer this critical support and facilitate healing with our network of bereavement partners.” Mary FitzGerald, Eluna CEO.
Virtual support will reach more families who may not be in close proximity to a camp and campers participating online will receive an Eluna Cares package, which includes grief support activities, comfort items, mindfulness tools, and resources. To complement these points of connection, the Eluna Resource Center will also design an online hub for healthcare workers and their families, providing personalized support and custom content specific to their unique circumstances.
About Eluna
Eluna is a public, 501(c)(3) non-profit with a mission to support children and families impacted by grief or addiction. Founded in 2000 in Seattle by former MLB pitcher Jamie Moyer and child advocate Karen Phelps Moyer, Eluna was originally called The Moyer Foundation and launched a series of programs that supports thousands of children and families annually in 50 camp locations across North America
Camp Erin is the largest national bereavement program for children and teens ages 6-17 who have experienced the death of someone close to them and is offered in 37 locations across the US and Canada. For more information, please visit www.elunanetwork.org.
About The Brave of Heart Fund
The Brave of Heart Fund was founded in May 2020 by the foundations of Cigna and New York Life and administered by E4E Relief. It was established to provide charitable grants and emotional support services to families of frontline healthcare workers, volunteers and support staff whose lives were lost in the fight against COVID-19. The Brave of Heart Fund continues to honor the hard work and sacrifice of healthcare workers and their families, via grants to nonprofit organizations working to address the long-term challenges they continue to experience.