HOPE for kids affected by violence

For 10 years, Camp HOPE has provided a healing experience to Ventura County children affected by family violence and other forms of trauma.

The milestone for the local version of the national mentorship program will be celebrated at Ventura County Family Justice Center Foundation’s annual Voice of Hope Gala. The event will take place at 5 p.m. May 29 at Tierra Rejada Farms’ Walnut Grove, 370 Sunset Valley Road in Moorpark.

“Camp HOPE is a lifeline for children who have endured so much in their lives already,” Vanessa Melendrez Jimenez, the foundation’s executive development officer, wrote in a statement. “It helps to restore a little bit of hope and empowers them to dream beyond their circumstances with confidence.”

Proceeds from the event will benefit Camp HOPE as well as the Family Justice Center, a team of public agencies, community organizations and volunteers dedicated to assisting victims of violent crimes.

Since it was implemented in Ventura County in 2015, the camp has transformed the lives of more than 300 participants ages 7 to 17 by helping them regain their confidence and develop positive relationships after surviving domestic violence and other forms of trauma, according to a news release.

The foundation can currently provide 40 children with the free, week-long summer camp this year, but many more children need access and the gala aims to bridge the gap, officials said.

Voice of Hope will include camp-inspired activities, live music, an auction, photo opportunities and therapeutic art sessions. The gala will also include an awards ceremony recognizing three individuals or organizations that have advocated for the region’s most vulnerable.

Greg Totten, the former Ventura County District Attorney and a key player in opening the first Ventura County Family Justice Center in 2019, will receive the Hope Hero award.

The Champion of the Year award will be given to Graal Diaz, a local research consultant who has successfully implemented trauma care programs and volunteers at Camp HOPE each year.

Reins of Hope, a local nonprofit that provides free horse therapy sessions to Camp HOPE youth, will be named Community Advocate of the Year.

To learn more about Camp HOPE and the 2025 Voice of Hope Gala, go to vcfjcfoundation.org.