County Offering Second Session of Free Day Camp for Kids Impacted by Substance Abuse

MEDFORD, NJ — Camp Cardinal, the free one-day camp program for Burlington County children impacted by substance use disorder, is expanding to a second session that will be held on Aug. 24.

The Burlington County Commissioners announced the program expansion this week, saying the additional day of camp will give participating children a second opportunity to interact and develop friendships and coping skills. It will also allow children who were unable to attend the first session of June 15 to benefit from the program.

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The free, one-day camp is open exclusively for children ages 7 to 14 who have suffered a loss due to substance use disorder or who have been impacted by substance use disorder within their immediate family. It is funded with money from Burlington County’s share of the opioid settlement.

“Substance use disorder is an illness that can be devastating to entire families. It often impacts multiple generations and can leave children vulnerable,” said Burlington County Commissioner Director Felicia Hopson. “Burlington County provides the tools and support for individuals and families to recover and the skills that at-risk children need to break the intergenerational cycle. Camp Cardinal is one of those tools and we are excited to expand the program so that more children have the opportunity to benefit from it.”

The second session of Camp Cardinal will be held on Aug. 24 from 9 AM to 4:30 PM at the YMCA of the Pines in Medford. The camp provides a safe space for children to interact and participate in activities such as shelter building, archery, arts and crafts, rope course and climbing wall. There will also be special group sessions devoted to teaching children coping skills and how to build resiliency to stress, anxiety, depression and other mental illnesses.

The day camp is free. Transportation to and from the camp is provided and participating children will receive meals, a bookbag, t-shirt, journal and water bottle.

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A dozen children attended the first Camp Cardinal session in June. Those children are eligible to return for the second session, and newcomers are also welcome.

Families interested in the program can register online at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BCCampCardinalAug2024 . For questions about the program, call 609-265-5794 or email klogue@co.burlington.nj.us .

The Camp Cardinal program is part of Burlington County’s comprehensive responsive to the opioid and substance use crisis impacting the nation. Those actions include a County Commissioner resolution declaring all of Burlington County to be stigma-free and creating a campaign to dispel misconceptions about substance use disorder and other mental illnesses. By eliminating stigma, the Commissioners hope to raise awareness and encourage more residents to seek the help needed to overcome their conditions.

Earlier this year, the Commissioners also approved the launch of Hope One for Youth, a new mobile outreach unit that specializes in mental health and substance use prevention services for children and teens.

Hope One for Youth is staffed by specialists from the Burlington County Department of Human Services and the Burlington County Municipal Alliance. The unit travels to local schools, youth group meetings, houses of worship and community events to make presentations and distribute age-appropriate materials.

“Burlington County is proud to be a leader in the fight against the opioid epidemic. We’re making a difference, one life at a time,” Hopson said. “We make resources and support available and send a message that substance use disorder is a disease that can be beaten.”

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