NORFOLK, Va. — A week of camping and mentorship with the Norfolk Sheriff's Office is officially underway.
The third annual Camp HOPE Norfolk, held by the sheriff's office and the Norfolk Family Justice Center, kicked off Sunday morning.
33 campers between ages 8 and 13 will spend a week at YMCA Camp Silver Beach in Jamesville, participating in a curriculum designed to help overcome trauma, according to a news release.
The free camp works to create an environment where youth can feel safe, seen, heard, encouraged and cared for. It's the first summer camp and mentoring program in the state for children who have experienced abuse or trauma.
Camp HOPE Norfolk is modeled after other Camp HOPE programs across the country, but Norfolk's is the only one lead by a sheriff's office.
Nine Norfolk Sheriff's Office staff are joining the trip, with some serving as camp counselors.
"Camp HOPE Norfolk is near and dear to our hearts. As the first and only sheriff's office to oversee a Camp HOPE America program and to be the agency who brought the program to Norfolk means a lot to us," Sheriff Joe Baron said in the release. "Through the Camp HOPE program, we hope to break the cycle of violence and assist children in their healing process."
In addition to the week-long camp, monthly activities are held throughout the year to bring Camp HOPE participants together, the release said.
"At the Norfolk Sheriff's Office, our purpose is to make a positive difference in the lives of others as far as we can reach. Camp HOPE Norfolk is just one of the many ways we are doing that," Baron said.
The campers will return Saturday, August 19.