According to Forefront Living Foundation volunteer Jennifer Aebi,
“My name is Jennifer and I am a volunteer at the Forefront Living Foundation. I know the impact grief and familiar loss has on families. I lost a sister and a father, and I am not alone. One in five children will experience the death of someone close to them by the age of eighteen. Bereaved children are at an increased risk of mental health problems (depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation, post-traumatic stress disorder, etc.). Without appropriate intervention and support, the effects of childhood grief/loss are painful and long-lasting. As someone that witnessed the impact of loss on a family, I feel strongly that access to grief support services can change the trajectory of a family and their healing journey.
“Faith Presbyterian Hospice (Faith) Child and Family Bereavement Program has several programs that help to mitigate the long-term effects of unprocessed childhood grief while raising community awareness. All bereaved children should have access to the support and resources they need to positively adapt to a loss in their lives.
“Faith Presbyterian Hospice offers the following free-of -charge bereavement services to grieving families in the community:
- “Educating parents and grandparents regarding the developmental aspects of grief for children
- “Providing referral resources to families who evidenced high risk for complicated grief
- “Providing monthly peer support groups (“Faith Kids”) for children and families
- “1:1 meetings with a Child Life Specialists
“It is my Sweet Christmas Wish for grieving families to get the opportunity to attend a weekend family grief camp so that they can heal, remember their late loved one, make new memories and begin to build a new foundation of hope. Families that have recently experienced the loss of an immediate family member are invited to attend free of charge.
“Last year, was the first year Faith Presbyterian Hospice hosted a weekend camp for grieving families. Unfortunately, due to the widespread interest and community need, the camp quickly filled up. This year, camp is being held in a new location — Camp Buckner in Burnet, Texas — from Friday, June 2, to Sunday, June 4, which will allow Faith to have more families attend. However, with the new location comes rising costs. Forefront Living Foundation has already raised over $5,000 of our $10,000 goal. But they still need $5,000 to make this a reality. We really need your help.
“Please consider my Christmas Wish List and give the gift a healing and hope to a grieving family. A $5,000 gift would make this dream a reality. Click here to see some footage from last year’s camp. Each year new families are invited to attend. The families captured in the camp footage are not attending camp this year and the location is different. However, it still provides you with a good idea regarding the experience. Thank you for your consideration.
“If you have any questions, please contact Sarah Jones at 214.413.1577 or [email protected].”
*Graphic courtesy of Forefront Living Foundation
