By: Ashley Byars
November marks Children’s Grief Awareness Month. Nonprofits play a vital role in helping people cope with grief and loss. Grief is a universal yet very personal emotion that we all experience. While it’s a normal and healthy reaction to loss, it can be especially difficult and overwhelming for children to process alone.
Nonprofits can be a lifeline for children and families who are grieving, helping them connect with others who understand what they’re going through and find the support they need to heal. The vital services nonprofits provide include:
- Support groups
- Counseling
- Educational resources
- Advocacy for policy change
Companies often partner with nonprofits to better understand how they can support grieving employees and offer their employees opportunities to support people grieving in their communities.
For Children’s Grief Awareness Month, we’re highlighting three nonprofits making a difference for families and children navigating grief.
Kate’s Club
Kate’s Club is a community for children, teens, young adults and their families who have experienced the death of someone close to them. Over 20 years, Kate’s Club has empowered tens of thousands of people throughout Georgia through direct service, education and advocacy. They also have an online community hub for people outside the service area to connect virtually.
In September, Kate’s Club was awarded the U.S. Surgeon General’s Medallion for excellence in the public health field. The award is the highest civilian honor for mental health work, recognizing organizations that create a sense of belonging for grieving children, families and young adults.
Kate’s Club provides several employee engagement opportunities to their corporate partners through fundraising and volunteer events. One longstanding event with RBC Wealth Management and RBC Capital Markets is an annual Buy-side Bowling Benefit to raise funds for Kate’s Club. This year’s event raised $53,573.
Employee volunteers also regularly visit the Kate’s Club clubhouse to:
- Be a buddy
- Pack goody bags for families
- Provide meals on program days
Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS)
TAPS is a national nonprofit organization that provides compassionate care and comprehensive resources to people grieving the death of a military service member or veteran.
Since 1994, TAPS has provided comfort and hope 24/7 through a national peer support network and connection to grief resources, all at no cost to surviving families and loved ones. They also host the National Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp annually in Washington, D.C.
TAPS recently partnered with Gillette and the NFL on the Salute to Service initiative. GilletteLabs donated $250,000 to TAPS, with funds going directly to support the TAPS Military Mentor program which gives children and teens of America’s fallen access to one-on-one support.
Kesem
Kesem is a leading national nonprofit supporting children facing a parent’s cancer. Founded in 2000, Kesem’s community consists of more than 5,000 volunteer college student leaders at over 130 college chapters across the country, providing year-round programs and services for children ages 6–18 at no cost to families. To date, Kesem has supported more than 60,000 children and families across the U.S.
Kesem is committed to creating a world where every child who has a parent with a cancer diagnosis or has lost a parent to cancer is never alone. They support children during and after their parents’ cancer with:
- Free, inclusive year-round programs and services
- Summer camps
- Ongoing community
Kesem works with corporate partners across a variety of industries, including:
- Financial services
- Healthcare
- Biotech
- Pharmaceutical
Together, they create robust, impactful and culturally informed campaigns that engage a wide range of stakeholders, from cancer patients to company employees.
In October, the Minnesota Vikings in partnership with U.S. Bank hosted a football clinic for Camp Kesem children. The event featured an evening of football drills led by Vikings players and Camp Kesem volunteers for children and their families. It was held in conjunction with the NFL’s “Crucial Catch: Intercept Cancer” initiative.
What Children’s Grief Awareness Month campaigns are standing out to you? If you need help developing your cause partnerships and awareness campaigns, For Momentum is always here to collaborate. Get in touch.
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