5th Annual Camp HOPE Norfolk to Be Held Next Week

The Norfolk Sheriff’s Office is gearing up for the fifth annual Camp HOPE Norfolk, which will take place Sunday, August 10, through Saturday, August 16, 2025. Thirty-one campers, along with several NSO staff and counselors, will depart the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office Administration Building on Sunday for a weeklong camp on the Eastern Shore.

In 2021, the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Norfolk Family Justice Center, established Camp HOPE Norfolk, the first summer camp and mentoring program in Virginia for children who have experienced primary or secondary abuse or trauma. Camp HOPE Norfolk is part of the Camp HOPE America program and was the first Camp HOPE in the country lead by a sheriff’s office.

Camp attendees, who range in age from 8 to 15-years-old, will spend a week at YMCA Camp Silver Beach in Jamesville, VA, participating in a variety of activities offered by Camp Silver Beach and learning from a clinically proven curriculum designed to help children overcome trauma. Nine Norfolk Sheriff’s Office staff and one YWCA staff member will accompany the youth participants, with some serving as camp counselors. The Norfolk Sheriff’s Office has procured a federal grant that will cover the cost of the camp for the youth attendees, making the camp free for each child to attend.

The goal of Camp HOPE Norfolk is to create an environment where youth can feel safe, seen, heard, encouraged, and cared for. In addition to the week-long camp, bi-monthly activities are held throughout the year to bring Camp HOPE participants together and introduce them to new experiences, hobbies, team-building activities, and more.

“Camp HOPE Norfolk and the children who participate in this program are dear to our hearts. During the year, through ongoing programs and activities, we form bonds with the participants, many of whom have been attending Camp HOPE Norfolk since its inception. We are thankful to be able to help break the cycle of violence, create an environment of trust, and assist each of them in their healing process. This camp wouldn’t be possible without help from our partners at the YWCA and the Norfolk Family Justice Center, who identify children who could benefit from Camp HOPE and its curriculum. It also wouldn’t be possible without the hard work and dedication of the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office staff who pour so much of themselves into the program – procuring the funds, planning activities, and making this a positive experience for everyone involved,” stated Sheriff Joe Baron.

For media wishing to cover the departure of campers from the Norfolk Sheriff’s Office Administration Building on Sunday, August 10, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. and conduct interviews with Sheriff Baron and/or members of the NSO staff who oversee Camp HOPE Norfolk, please contact Jamie Bastas at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 757-589-5692.

For more information about Camp HOPE Norfolk, visit https://norfolk-sheriff.com/community/camp-hope-norfolk.

For more information about the Camp HOPE America program, visit https://www.camphopeamerica.org/.

Pictures from previous Camp HOPE Norfolk events are available upon request.

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The Norfolk Sheriff's Office is a values driven organization
committed to public safety, public service, and public trust.