RICHMOND, Va., June 11, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Comfort Zone Camp (CZC), a nonprofit dedicated to supporting the estimated 6.6 million American children who will experience the death of a parent or sibling before the age of 18, today announced it has expanded its regional footprint to offer its first free weekend camp in Tennessee, taking place October 16–18 at Camp Widjiwagan in Antioch, Tennessee.
A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link.
Since 1998, CZC has seen more than 27,000 children benefit from the ability to grieve with others rather than alone. Each CZC camper is paired with a trained volunteer, or Big Buddy, from the start. Camp weekends feature challenge courses, s’mores, and Healing Circles℠ – small-group sessions led by licensed mental health professionals where campers are encouraged to share their stories and learn useful coping skills.
The inaugural Tennessee program marks a significant milestone for CZC as the organization extends its reach into a state with one of the most pressing childhood bereavement needs in the country. Comfort Zone Camp is holding their weekend camp at Camp Widjiwagan’s 320-acre property on Percy Priest Lake which provides an ideal outdoor setting for the program, giving campers the chance to have fun and meet other kids like them while developing tools to carry their grief forward.
“I’ve been part of the Comfort Zone Camp community long enough to know what these weekends mean for children who’ve lost a significant person in their life,” says Daniel Tarantin, board member of Comfort Zone Camp. “I was struck by the fact that families here didn’t have access to what CZC offers. Bringing this program to Nashville is personal to me — this is my home now, and I want every grieving child here to have the community and support that CZC provides.”
Childhood Bereavement in Tennessee
According to the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM), 1 in 8 children in Tennessee will lose a parent or sibling before turning 18 — the 6th highest rate in the nation and significantly above the national average of 1 in 11. An estimated 185,000 Tennessee children are currently bereaved by age 18.
Grief shapes many parts of a young person’s life. For example, 97 percent of teachers say unaddressed grief interferes with learning. Additionally, one in four young people who die by suicide were previously or recently bereaved, and the risk of developing a substance abuse disorder in adulthood is 175 percent higher for bereaved youth.
“When I lost my parents as a kid, there were no resources. Grief was hard and lonely and something we simply didn’t talk about,” says Lynne Hughes, Founder & CEO of Comfort Zone Camp and 2025 L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth honoree. “That’s still true for too many children, which is why getting to them early matters as much as it does. What I have watched happen at CZC weekends for 27 years is that kids pull up to camp not knowing anyone, and within a few hours, they’re leaning in and saying, ‘me too.’ They tell their stories. They go toward the grief and learn how to navigate it. Access to community and support early on changes the trajectory for these kids.”
Open to Families and Volunteers
Comfort Zone Camp’s free Tennessee grief-support program will be held October 16–18, 2026, at Camp Widjiwagan in Antioch, Tennessee. The program is open to children ages 7–17, and 18 if they are still in high school, who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or other close loved one.
Every CZC weekend is offered at no cost to families, with transportation scholarships available for those who need them. The mission has always been to make sure that a child’s access to healing is not determined by their family’s financial circumstances. Families interested in registering a child can visit www.comfortzonecamp.org to learn more and complete an enrollment form.
CZC is actively recruiting volunteers to support the Tennessee camp weekend. CZC provides full training, and volunteers are matched with campers to serve as mentors and guides throughout the weekend. To learn more about volunteering or to support CZC’s work in Tennessee, visit www.comfortzonecamp.org.
About Comfort Zone Camp
Comfort Zone Camp is a nonprofit that provides free weekend programs for grieving children ages 7-17 who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or other close loved one. Founded in 1998 by Lynne Hughes, herself bereaved as a child, CZC has served more than 27,000 children across the United States. Programs pair traditional camp activities with Healing Circles℠ led by licensed mental health professionals, giving kids tools and a community of peers who understand. Learn more at www.comfortzonecamp.org.
Media Contacts
Katie Pereira kpereira@comfortzonecamp.org
Jamie Hughes jamie@comfortzonecamp.org
Edil Cuepo edil@picklemediaco.com
