Stolen Trailer Won’t Halt Camp for Children of Incarcerated Parents

The trailer stood packed and set for a four-day camping trip, filled with sleeping bags, towels, backpacks, and other essentials for children whose parents are incarcerated. Yet, late last month, it vanished from an Anaheim lot where a volunteer had it stored. This incident troubled Elizabeth Vallejo, co-founder of Camp Agape California.

Vallejo started the faith-based organization with her husband to support families affected by incarceration. They aim to provide children a space for healing and personal growth, reducing the risk of them entering the criminal justice system. Studies highlight that children of incarcerated parents face greater mental health challenges and antisocial behaviors. They’re also more prone to substance abuse and are statistically more likely to land in the criminal justice system.

In September, the camp effort in the San Bernardino Mountains halts some risks for these children. The stolen trailer brought a wave of frustration and anger to the camp team. Vallejo felt blindsided, describing an initial fog and shock. Reality then shifted to anger, with a noted emotional recall: “You messed with the wrong ministry because you stole from God,” she thought, aiming this at the unknown thief or thieves.

The theft reminded Vallejo of her personal losses. She remembered her mother, who took over the care of her niece and nephew at 21 when her sister passed away, and their father was imprisoned. “I saw the hardship of [my mother] raising her grandchildren,” she recalled.

In 2017, when Camp Agape California began, Vallejo faced significant hurdles. Her daughter battled cancer, undergoing intense treatment before recovering. That same year, she lost her mother. Yet, she found solace in their mission, offering children the support her mother once needed.

Despite emotional adversities, Vallejo and her husband launched the camp, starting with 110 children and limited funds. “Little by little we were growing,” Vallejo said, noting their collection of needed items—from coffee makers to games and other camping gear.

The initiative blossomed, with videos showing children stepping from luxury buses and receiving applause from camp volunteers. This year, they expect over 200 children, a testament to their expansion. Operating under Breaking the Cycle, a nonprofit Vallejo and her husband founded last year, they now have about 200 volunteers. “It takes an army to make the camp happen,” Vallejo said.

Children who age out often return to the camp as volunteers, driven by its impact. Despite the trailer’s and its contents’ loss, Vallejo, her husband, and the volunteers remain determined. “We still have the camp, we have the children, we have buses and the volunteers,” she declared. “Camp’s gonna happen.”

The camp emphasizes teaching forgiveness, a value Vallejo and her husband put into practice as they forgave the trailer thieves.

To recover some losses, they initiated a GoFundMe campaign to raise approximately $28,000. As of Friday, they’ve gathered $26,900 and have replaced the trailer. Vallejo shared with her husband, “We know God’s gonna come through, so let’s wait and see what he does. We walk by faith.”