Dear Friends,

This summer, we experienced something truly special—the very first Lemons to Lemonade Grief Camp. This camp was born out of our shared determination to bring the kind of grief support that made such a difference in our lives to kids right here in Orange County.

When we each lost a parent at a young age, we were lucky to have incredible resources in our hometowns—Sophia in Memphis and Avery in New York. Those programs helped us heal, connect, and realize that life could be normal again. But when we moved to Orange County, we saw a need for something similar in our own community. That’s where the idea for Lemons to Lemonade began, and this summer, we saw that vision come to life.

The camp schedule was full of creative activities, connection, and fun. Campers made memory jars, crafted personalized bears with Build-A-Bear, and spent time with therapy dogs who brought so much comfort and joy. The week ended with the Lemon Fair, where we celebrated new friendships, resilience, and all the ways our campers grew throughout the week.

One camper said, “Meeting other kids like me made me feel normal again. It’s like they just get it.” Another parent shared, “This camp gave my child permission to talk about her dad. She couldn’t wait to go back every day and was so sad when it ended. Thank you for creating something so special.”

A volunteer counselor remarked, “There is truly nothing like this in Orange County. Seeing these kids grow and laugh together was so inspiring. It’s an honor to support something so impactful.”

And one young camper reflected, “It felt good to talk about my mom without feeling weird. I think she would have liked this camp, too.”

We are so grateful to the CHEC (Community Health Enrichment Center) in San Juan Capistrano, whose counselors volunteered to support us throughout the camp. They told us, “There’s nothing like this in Orange County. We’re so proud to be part of it.” Knowing we’re filling a gap in the community motivates us to keep building and expanding this program.

Looking back, this camp was everything we dreamed of and more. We’re already planning for next summer and can’t wait to continue turning life’s sour lemons into sweet lemonade.

Thank you to everyone who supported us and helped make this possible. You are all part of this journey with us, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

With gratitude,
Sophia & Avery