Wendt Center for Loss and Healing’s Camp Forget-Me-Not/Camp Erin® DC
Come volunteer at grief camp!
Camp Forget-Me-Not/Camp Erin DC is a free grief camp that gives children an opportunity to enter a safe space — away from their everyday lives — to gently explore the normal process of grief. Love, laughter, learning and leisure are the needs of all children, especially those who have recently experienced the death of a loved one. The camp is not designed as a replacement for therapy but as an enjoyable opportunity to explore grief where a child’s self-expression is heard, valued and honored.
About Camp
We at Camp Forget-Me-Not/Camp Erin DC strive for a camp environment that cultivates kindness, compassion, respect and inclusivity in an intentional and affirming way. Our camp is committed to fostering grief exploration, social skills, courage, and understanding in a healing and supportive space. We invite our camp community to preserve a safe and supportive environment that treats all people with dignity and thoughtful regard.
Before applying, please confirm you meet all of the requirements:
Volunteer Requirements
- Must be at least 21 years of age
- Must not have been a client of the Wendt Center after January 1, 2026
- Must have experienced the death of a significant person in their life
- Must live in the metro Washington, DC area
- New volunteers must be willing to participate in a virtual and/or in person interview
- Must be able to attend volunteer training:
- New volunteers: May 16th 9:30am to 1:30pm in person.
- Returning volunteers: May 27th 6pm-8pm virtually.
- Must commit to achieving fundraising goal
- Must submit to a criminal background check, if required
- Must be able to attend the full day of camp, unless you are only helping with setup, breakdown, or mealtime.
- Must be willing to follow camp Health Policies and procedures (including screening and healthy practices) to maintain the well-being of the camp community. Mask-wearing is optional for all participants and is a supported choice.
Volunteer Fundraising Challenge
Fundraising is a part of your commitment to being a Camp Volunteer!
- The individual volunteer fundraising goal is $350
- Money raised enables the Wendt Center’s Camp:
- to be free for all participants (75 campers expected in 2026)
- to expand programming to include families
- to facilitate in-person and virtual Fall/Winter family grief workshops (Grieving Families Healing Together program)
- to coordinate reunion activities
- to pay for food, supplies and materials
- the opportunity to provide a meaningful experience for all
We appreciate your continued commitment and support of DC area’s grieving children and families.
Application Requirements
Please complete the application in a single sitting. Before getting started please make sure you have:
- If you are a new volunteer, you will need the names and email addresses of two non-family references – one personal and one professional.
- If you are a DC healthcare professional, we will need a copy of your DC license. If you were not sent a physical copy, please use the search here to find your license and take a screenshot of it.