Alfonso Sosa-Rodríguez is gearing up to return to the grounds of YMCA Camp Weaver for the 10th year of Camp HOPE. This year he returns with a whole new perspective.
This summer, the 19-year-old won't be arriving as a camper. He'll step into the role of camp counselor.
2026 marks a special year for both Alfonso and the Guilford County Family Justice Center (FJC). The FJC will celebrate the 10th year anniversary of Camp HOPE, marking a decade of helping children impacted by domestic violence and abuse build confidence, resilience, and hope. For Alfonso, the milestone is personal. After spending seven summers as a camper, he is now stepping into a leadership role to help the next generation experience the same support that helped change his life.
"I'm a little nervous, but I'm excited," Alfonso said. "I'm excited to get to know the campers and watch how they grow from the beginning of the week to the end."
Camp HOPE, organized by the Guilford County FJC, is an evidence-based camping and mentoring program designed for children who have experienced violence and trauma. Through outdoor adventure, team-building activities, and mentoring, the program helps children develop healthy relationships, resilience, and hope while breaking cycles of violence.
For Alfonso, Camp HOPE became much more than a summer camp. It became a community of support.
From the beginning, the Family Justice Center staff helped me with so many different things. Having that support system, it was always good to know they were in my corner,” said Alfonso. "Camp HOPE pushed me to stay in school, stay focused, and stay on the right track," Alfonso said. "When you've been through so much at a young age, it's easy to feel defeated. But the Family Justice Center staff were always there, whether it was helping me apply for school or just encouraging me to push forward."
This summer, nearly 90 children will attend Camp HOPE across two weeklong sessions. Alfonso is one of three former campers returning as counselors for children ages seven to 12. As a volunteer camp counselor[GU1.1], he'll mentor six boys throughout the week of August 9.
"It's exciting to give back," Alfonso said. "I get to be the person I needed when I first came to Camp HOPE. Now I can provide that same support for kids who need it."
For Hannah Mould, Child Trauma Specialist Coordinator with the FJC and Camp HOPE coordinator, Alfonso's journey reflects exactly what the program was created to do.
"Alfonso has always been wise beyond his age," Mould said. "He's always had a maturity and positive attitude that helped make him resilient when he faced challenges. Through Camp HOPE, he learned he could have hope, and I've watched him become a leader among his peers."
Mould said seeing former campers return as mentors is one of the program's greatest successes. "Camp HOPE exists to help children who have experienced family violence realize they are not alone," she said. "When former campers come back as counselors, they bring a unique perspective because they've lived that experience. They're able to connect with campers and give them the same sense of belonging and hope they once received."
For Paige Gilliard, camp volunteer, FJC partner, and attorney with the Children's Law Center of Central North Carolina, she sees Alfonso as an example for incoming campers.
“Alfonso has grown into a responsible, caring, bright, and hard-working young man. He continues to forge ahead, despite the challenges in his life,” said Gilliard. “As a volunteer Camp HOPE counselor, Alfonso is a role model, teaching others to create pathways towards hope too.”
As Camp HOPE marks its 10th anniversary, Alfonso sees his own journey reflected in the program's growth.
"It means a lot because this milestone crosses paths with my own journey," Alfonso said. "I've been a part of Camp HOPE since its early years, and now I'm coming back as a counselor. It's exciting to be part of something that's helped so many kids and will continue to help more kids.”
Since the program begin in 2016, the FJC has welcomed more than 580 youth into Camp HOPE, with nearly half participating for at least three summers. Community partners have dedicated more than 23,000 volunteer hours over the past decade, helping create a safe and welcoming environment for all campers. For FJC Director Sonya Desai, the 10-year milestone represents all the families and children the program has helped.
“Being part of hundreds of children's journeys over the past 10 years has been an incredible privilege. Every family's path is unique, but hope remains the common thread that connects us all,” said Sonya. “When we invest in children, we invest in the future. Camp HOPE gives children the opportunity to grow, heal, and discover new opportunities which are ahead of them.”
When camp wraps up, Alfonso will return to college, study criminology, and continue to find new opportunities along his own path while remaining connected to Camp HOPE and the FJC for years to come.
For campers, the support doesn't end when the campfires go out. The FJC provides year-round mentoring and programming to help children build resilience long after camp ends.