Mission & Vision Kara’s mission is to provide grief support for children, teens, families and adults. Our guiding values are empathy and compassion. Every day we provide caring support to children and adults affected by loss and grief. Our vision is to see people of all ages compassionately supported on their journey through grief so they can move toward renewed hope and meaning. We serve individuals who are grieving a death as well as those managing a terminal illness (their own or another's). History Kara' s founding is rooted in the early 1970s, when a growing awareness swept through the United States, England and other countries that the way contemporary society handled death, based in the medical establishment, was inadequate. The seminal work of Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross and the emerging hospice movement stimulated discussions about death and dying in Palo Alto and other communities. During this same period, Dr. Charles Garfield established the Shanti Project in San Francisco to train and engage volunteers to serve and support dying patients. Palo Alto Projects, modeled after the Shanti Model of Peer Support, was incorporated in December 1976, with 17 peer counselor volunteers. In February of 1978 the organization's name was officially changed to Kara to more accurately reflect its grief support focused mission. Today, our staff and over 150 trained volunteers serve and support those who are grieving in our community. Kara does not espouse a particular religion or philosophy. We encourage those we serve to draw strength from their own personal spiritual beliefs, family, friends and other community resources to build sustaining support. (Read More...)
String of Pearls was created to provide a nurturing and safe place for families as they navigate the path following a fatal prenatal diagnosis that will result in the death of their baby prior to, or shortly after birth. The path between grief and hope is a difficult place to walk; our desire is to provide guidance, compassion and practical suggestions as plans to honor the life of pre-born babies are crafted. Each life has a story worth telling, and we are here for support as stories are lovingly written. (Read More...)
Actively Moving Forward, a HealGrief program is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting grieving college students. 1 in every 3 college students are grieving a loved one’s death or the diagnosis of a loved one’s terminal illness! The organization accomplishes its mission by creating Actively Moving Forward chapters on college campuses nationwide. AMF, an acronym for ActivelyMovingForward connects and empowers these grieving students to support one another and participate in community service in memory of their loved ones. Students are given the tools to cope, and the education to understand that grief is normal; grief is not depression; suicide is never an option; and a healthy grief recovery does exist. AMF also supports non-collegiate young adults and professionals working with college students and young adults by creating a wealth of virtual information, programming, and community. (Read More...)
We provide Education Tools for Pain Conditions. We are on a mission to reinvent how patients and clinicians absorb new science. (Read More...)
Peter’s Place is a center for grieving children and families located in Radnor, PA. At our center, we offer age-appropriate peer support groups for children ages 4–17. While the children meet, their parents and caregivers have an opportunity to participate in their own peer support group. Additionally, Peter’s Place offers a group for young adults, ages 18-25, and a specialized peer support group called Ryan’s Hope, which is for parents who have experienced the death of a child as a result of addiction. (Read More...)
M.E.N.D. (Mommies Enduring Neonatal Death) is a Christian non-profit organization that reaches out to families that have lost a baby to miscarriage, stillbirth or early infant death. M.E.N.D. was founded by Rebekah Mitchell in 1996, one year following the stillbirth of her son, Jonathan. We are based in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex where we offer a variety of monthly support groups. We also have chapters across Texas and several additional states. For those who don’t live near one of our chapters, we offer an online support group the 3rd Thursday of each month at 9:00 PM CST. Additionally, M.E.N.D. publishes free bi-monthly newsletters that are distributed all over the world. Each issue focuses on a different topic pertaining to pregnancy and infant loss. And, each chapter of M.E.N.D. has its own Facebook group, which enables grieving families to connect with one another. Every person involved with M.E.N.D. in a leadership level has personally experienced the death of a baby. We are not professional counselors, we are experts by experience. (Read More...)
Brighter Days Grief Center is a nonprofit organization serving grieving families in the state of Minnesota. They provide free grief support resources, services and programs to adults, young adults, teenagers and children who are grieving the death or terminal diagnosis of a beloved family member. Through their many partnerships and gracious donors, they tailor compassionate resources for each family member including access to grief and trauma support, legal and financial guidance, peer-based connections and youth/family events and workshops. Their signature program, Embrace-A-Family, provides financial assistance for basic necessities, academic support and psycho social care. Additionally, they work with schools, churches and community organizations to ensure grieving children and families receive compassionate and appropriate support in all settings. To learn more, visit their website at www.brighterdaysgriefcenter.org (Read More...)
The mission of Share Pregnancy and Infant Loss Support is to serve those whose lives are touched by the tragic death of a baby through pregnancy loss, stillbirth or in the first few months of life. The work of Share and its supporters often goes unnoticed until tragedy occurs. At Share, bereaved parents find comfort in friendship, strength in shared experiences and hope for healing and happiness. Share, which has more than 75 groups across the country, strives to support every family that is put into these tragic circumstances by hosting support group meetings, by providing online support through Facebook, and by distributing bereavement resources and information. The national office also offers bereavement education and training to professionals, clergy and funeral directors throughout the United States. Share has been offering support to families since 1977. The National Office is headquartered in St. Charles, MO. For more information about Share, please call the National Share Office at 636-947-6164 or visit www.nationalshare.org. (Read More...)
GRIEF WATCH is a publisher and manufacturer of bereavement books and materials used by families and professionals around the country. They are probably most well known for their beloved Tear Soup products which you can check out here: https://griefwatch.com/collections/tear-soup-home. They also create many beautiful ceramics that are the perfect gifts for those who are grieving. From pocket hearts to necklaces to customizable ornaments, they have something for everybody: https://griefwatch.com/collections/ceramics. (Read More...)
The Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) is the national association, which provides leadership in hospice palliative care in Canada. The CHPCA offers leadership in the pursuit of excellence in care for persons approaching death so that the burdens of suffering, loneliness and grief are lessened. (Read More...)