21st Annual Night of Hope Gala to Support Camps for Families Grieving Loss from Suicide or Overdose

Charity Began after 9/11 to Provide Comfort to Those Impacted by the Attack 

NEW YORK, Oct. 5, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 21st Annual Night of Hope Gala, co-hosted by A Little Hope and Comfort Zone Camp, will be held in New York City on October 15, 2026, to raise funds for the continued support of children and families grieving the loss of a loved one from suicide or overdose or the unexpected loss of a loved one. The gala coincides with the 25th anniversary of the tragic September 11 attacks that inspired A Little Hope's founding to help children left behind. All proceeds will go towards funding free camps for children and families navigating grief. More information on sponsorships, tickets, and donations can be found here. 

Losing a parent, sibling or spouse is one of the most traumatic experiences any family can go through. These losses often bring added grief, guilt, confusion, shame, and stigma. In an effort to address the need for resources for families dealing with suicide and overdose loss, A Little Hope and Comfort Zone Camp partner to provide free, weekend-long camps that include one-on-one mentorship, age-based grief support and connection with peers who have experienced similar losses. The organizations offer a safe space to process emotions, develop healthy coping skills, and create a supportive community so that children feel less alone in their grief.

"25 years after 9/11, the tragedy that left many children without parents and inspired the founding of A Little Hope, our organization has grown into a national foundation that not only provided support services to 350 children that lost a family member in the World Trade Center, but now offers services for more than 250,000 American children, adolescents and young adults," said Richard Schimel, President and Founding Board Member of A Little Hope. "By partnering with Comfort Zone Camp, we offer camps that show children and families that grief does not have to define their future. The generosity of our supporters makes this work possible and ensures every family can participate at no cost."

"Losing someone to suicide or overdose brings a unique kind of grief that many traditional bereavement resources are not equipped to address," said Lynne B. Hughes, Founder and CEO of Comfort Zone Camp. "Our partnership with A Little Hope has allowed us to create programs where children can speak honestly about their grief while surrounded by others who understand what they are going through. Seeing these children and their families begin to heal is profoundly rewarding."

In 2025, Comfort Zone Camp's specialized camps for suicide and overdose loss served 124 grieving children and 31 parents and guardians. The camps were offered free of charge and included separate, optional programming for parents and guardians.

About A Little Hope

A Little Hope, Inc. is a not for profit, publicly supported charitable foundation established in early 2002 as a response to the World Trade Center tragedy. With many bereaved children having to face a new reality – life without their mother or father – A Little Hope was founded with the mission of offering them hope for the future. The organization continues to create innovative programs to support grieving children. In 2015 A Little Hope partnered with Comfort Zone Camp to create a suicide loss camp for children, young adults and their families. Their Suicide Loss Camps are specifically designed to bring together children, young adults, parents and guardians, allowing them to grieve, heal and grow surrounded by those who have shared a similar loss. For more information, visit https://www.alittlehope.org/.

About Comfort Zone Camp

Comfort Zone Camp is a nonprofit 501(c)3 bereavement organization that transforms the lives of children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. Comfort Zone Camp's programs are completely free of charge and include confidence building activities and age-based support groups that break the emotional isolation grief often brings. Programs are offered to children ages 7-17 and their families, in addition to young adults in the 18-25 age range. Held year-round across the country, Comfort Zone's primary locations are California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, North Carolina and Virginia (HQ). They also partner with organizations to serve their local or specific communities through their Partnership and Community by Design Programs. For more information, visit http://www.comfortzonecamp.org.

Media Contacts:
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ASC Advisors
(203) 992-1230
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SOURCE A Little Hope, Inc.