Eluna marked a milestone anniversary at its 25th annual Champions for Children (CFC) gala, held at the Fitler Club in April. The event brought together supporters, community leaders, and special guests to celebrate the organization’s enduring commitment to children, teens, and families impacted by grief or addiction.
The evening began with a cocktail reception, before guests headed into the ballroom for a seated dinner, inspiring program, auction and included many supportive guests and honorees!
This year the Champions for Children gala proudly honored Amanda Kloots with the Champion for Children Award in recognition of her inspiring advocacy and unwavering support for families navigating grief. Daniel J. Hilferty, Chairman & CEO of Comcast Spectacor, received the prestigious Founders Award for his exceptional leadership and dedication to the Philadelphia community. M&T Bank was recognized with the Community Award, celebrating the company’s continued commitment to uplifting and empowering local families through strategic philanthropy and partnership.
Founded in 2000 in Seattle by MLB pitcher Jamie Moyer and child advocate Karen Phelps Moyer, Eluna —originally known as The Moyer Foundation—was inspired by the compassion of a young cancer patient, Erin Metcalf. In 2002, the organization launched Camp Erin in her honor, which has since grown into the largest free grief camp network for youth in North America.
Building on that success, Camp Mariposa was introduced in 2007 as a mentoring and addiction prevention program for youth affected by a family member’s substance use. To extend its support beyond camps, Eluna later created the Eluna Resource Center, an online hub offering a wide range of grief and addiction-related articles, videos, and personalized resources for caregivers and families. In 2018, the organization rebranded as Eluna, a name meaning moonlight—symbolizing hope through the darkness of loss and hardship.
To date, the organization has empowered over 37,000 youth through Camp Erin and more than 3,500 youth through Camp Mariposa, offering healing and mentorship to those affected by grief and addiction.
Its Resource Center has reached hundreds of thousands of users seeking guidance and support, and research shows that 68% of Eluna alumni go on to pursue careers in helping professions—demonstrating the organization’s lasting impact on future generations.
All funds generated through CFC will support the free programs offered, including Camp Erin, Camp Mariposa, and the Eluna Resource Center.
Hope you had a great weekend. Bare with me as I begin to post the many events which have happened during the Spring Social Season. Also check out Philly Style Mag, Main Line Today, CBSPhilly and my IG for more photos from the galas/parties/events, the latter two in a more timely matter.
Socially Yours, HughE
