For Immediate Release

March 9, 2018

Eluna Receives Grant from the AmerisourceBergen Foundation to Launch New Community Program for Children Living with Addiction in their Families

Philadelphia, Pa. – Eluna announced today that it received a $95,000 grant from the AmerisourceBergen Foundation that will enable the organization to launch a community program that serves youth in Philadelphia’s Kensington neighborhood who have been impacted by a family member’s substance abuse. 

The grant will also expand Eluna’s Camp Mariposa’s offerings to underserved youth in the Philadelphia region, and bolster Eluna’s opioid addiction prevention resources and support services.

“We are extremely honored by the generous support of the AmerisourceBergen Foundation in stepping up to address the needs of children affected by addiction in Philadelphia,” said Mary FitzGerald, chief executive officer, Eluna. “With the opioid epidemic on the rise, this support comes at a pivotal time and we are extremely grateful to be the recipient of a grant that will enable us to significantly expand our programs and our continued care for impacted families.”

Eluna created its addiction prevention and mentoring program, Camp Mariposa, in 2007 and it remains the largest program of its kind in the United States. Currently offered in eleven locations nationwide, Camp Mariposa has served more than 6,100 children ages 9-12 since its inception.  Eluna’s Camp Mariposa Philadelphia weekend camp program, offered in partnership with Penn Foundation in Quakertown, has provided addiction prevention education, mentorship and support to more than 700 campers since its establishment in 2012.

In 2016, Eluna launched the Mariposa Community Program, a 12-week addiction prevention, community-based afterschool program for children who have been impacted by substance abuse in their family. Youth who have addiction in their family are four times more likely to develop and addiction of their own. Offered in partnership with Turning Points for Children, the Community Program has served youth living in West and Southwest Philadelphia. With the grant provided by the AmerisourceBergen Foundation, the Eluna will open a new Community Program location to serve youth living in Kensington. 

“Eluna offers invaluable addiction prevention resources and support services to children who have been exposed to a family member’s substance abuse. With this grant, we wanted to expand the reach of their programs to ensure youth across the Philadelphia region have access to these critical resources,” said Gina Clark, President of the AmerisourceBergen Foundation who is also Executive Vice President and Chief Communications & Administration Officer at AmerisourceBergen. “At AmerisourceBergen, we are united in our responsibility to create healthier futures. This grant is part of our multi-pronged approach to combat opioid abuse and misuse in communities nationwide.”

Established in 2014, the AmerisourceBergen Foundation is a not-for-profit charitable giving organization focused on supporting health-related causes that enrich the global community. As part of its commitment to address the nation’s opioid crisis, the AmerisourceBergen Foundation launched a municipal support program in December that aims to promote the safe disposal of opioids. Through the program, the AmerisourceBergen Foundation will provide municipalities across the country with resources, like drug deactivation pouches and products, to deactivate expired or unused prescription medications.

About Eluna

Eluna is a public, 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with a mission to provide comfort, hope and healing to children and families affected by grief and addiction. Founded in 2000 by former MLB pitcher Jamie Moyer and child advocate Karen Phelps Moyer, Eluna supports thousands of children and families each year through its free signature programs and services. Camp Erin® is the largest national bereavement program for children and teens grieving the death of someone significant in their lives and Camp Mariposa® is a national addiction prevention and mentoring program for youth impacted by a family member's substance use disorder. Eluna Resource Center extends The Foundation’s continuum of care by providing a curated set of online resources with personalized phone and email support for families experiencing grief, addiction and other related issues. For more information, please visit moyerfoundation.org.

About AmerisourceBergen Foundation

Established in 2014, the AmerisourceBergen Foundation focuses on health and wellbeing initiatives that improve patient outcomes including pharmaceutical accessibility programs, pharmaceutical adherence programs and health improvement research. The Foundation aims to enhance healthcare delivery and improve access. The AmerisourceBergen Foundation is a separate not-for-profit charitable organization distinct from AmerisourceBergen Corporation. For more information on the AmerisourceBergen Foundation, visit: www.amerisourcebergenfoundation.org.

Media Contacts:
Elizabeth Cook
Eluna                                                                                  
267.687.0334
elizabethcook@moyerfoundation.org

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