Ukranian refugee children to attend summer camp in Gatlinburg

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WVLT) - More than 300,000 Ukranian refugees live in the United States.

The Summer of Hope program was designed to help the children impacted by the war in Ukraine experience a summer where they don’t have to worry about sirens and bomb shelters.

More than 1,000 refugee children will be attending five-day summer camps across the U.S., including Gatlinburg, Tennessee.

“Children’s summer camps in the de-occupied territories and in front-line cities are now very important projects. A child’s upbringing and development cannot be put on hold. The war leaves a cruel imprint on the child’s psycho-emotional state. Without the help of qualified psychologists and art therapy methods, the child alone will not be able to fully cope with the consequences of stress. To conduct our summer camps, we plan to engage a team of professional mentors. We will work with children in such a way that the camp is not only a break for the child but also an opportunity for them to acquire various skills and gain a positive experience during stressful times of instability. Additionally, as children mostly learn online, the camp and communication with peers will help children build social connections and adapt to the conditions caused by the war.”

There will also be camps in Ukraine and Italy.