Camp Stepping Stones supports dozens of children and their families every year.

After Loss, a Place to Breathe: 25 Years of Camp Stepping Stones

Judith was just 36 years old when her husband David died at the age of 38. Their son was 8; their daughter just a month shy of her 6^th birthday. David’s death was sudden and unexpected. Thankfully, through her job as a school counselor, Judith knew that Care Dimensions (then known as Hospice of the North Shore) offered support for people like her.

“I just called and said: I lost my husband, I have two kids, and I need help,” recalls Judith, now 15 years later.

The bereavement team connected her with a support group for grieving children, a place where kids can talk about their emotions, and parents can talk about the challenges they’re facing. For Judith, it was like stepping into another world.

“I’ll never forget the day I walked in. There were kids running around. They were smiling. They were laughing. I couldn’t believe it. I was amazed that these were all children who had lost a parent.

“I cried. I could breathe. And it was probably the first time I felt like my kids were going to be okay.”

Judith doesn’t sugarcoat it. There were tremendous struggles for both her and her children through those first few months – especially for her son, who she describes as always a deeply emotional child. But as her kids found their place, she also developed incredible friendships with those other parents. And through them, she learned of a children’s camp made just for them.

25 Years of Supporting Children and Families

Camp Stepping Stones is for children and their families who have experienced the death of someone important. It’s a space to connect with other grieving families, to remember those who have died, and to have some fun. In 2026, Camp Stepping Stones marks 25 years of serving the community.

"It's a day where everyone who comes 'gets it,’” said Sammy McCarthy, Manager of Pediatric Palliative Care & the Children's Program at Care Dimensions. “Everyone there knows what it feels like to lose someone special in their lives, and that alone just lets people breathe a little bit."

The one-day event has a range of activities for children, often including things like expressive arts, a petting zoo, and music with movement. Parents and caregivers participate in workshops on topics such as “parenting solo,” “raising grieving children,” and “yoga for living with loss.”

Over the past 25 years, more than 900 children and their families have attended.

Patrice DePasquale, Director of Bereavement & Pediatric Palliative Care, says, for her, the most resonant part of camp is at the closing circle, when families and volunteers gather, honor loved ones, and share.

“It’s incredible to see the children comfortable enough to share in front of the group,” said Patrice. “In school, they’re often silently grieving and they hold back their emotions.  Camp gives them an outlet to express themselves; to tell their story, share special memories, and feel validated.”

“For me, one of the most impactful parts of Camp Stepping Stones is watching families find each other,” added Sarah Bujold, Child Life Specialist. “In a space shaped by loss, there’s an unspoken permission at camp to feel and be exactly as you are – and that in itself can help ease the fear of feeling different or alone.”

Camp Stepping Stones is named after the keystone activity of the event: children select stepping stones that they can decorate, often in tribute to the person they’ve lost. The children take the stepping stones home, but before they do so, all of them come together to form a heart puzzle.

"While often times losing someone special leaves us broken into pieces, we can use that connection and support from one another to build us back up," explains Sammy.

“A Really Special Place”

Judith’s personal experience with camp was like so many others over the years.

“Being in that space allowed me to not think that I was living the hardest life in the whole world, or that I was fully alone,” she said. “So many folks run away from grief. I almost intuitively knew we couldn't run away from ours. And Care Dimensions helped us face it.”

She and her children attended camp for multiple years – and later came back to volunteer, helping other families navigate their own grief journeys.

“People ask me, ‘How did you survive?’ And I tell them, I survived with love. Love is the way you survive. And this was part of it. The love we received from Care Dimensions, and the love we were then able to give back – it's just a really special place.”

Learn more about Camp Stepping Stones at CareDimensions.org/Camp

Camp Stepping Stones has been successful over these 25 years due to many generous donors and foundation grants. If you’d like to support the Children’s Program, you can make a donation here or reach our philanthropy team at [email protected].