Yes, I work for Journey of Hope...and yes, part of my job is to fundraise. But that's not why I'm sharing this page with you and requesting your support. But my boss didn't say I had to create a fundraiser or I had to write this.
Grief isn't something you just "get over." There are many great things about being human, but experiencing the loss of someone important to you is not one of them. But the fact that we feel what we feel means we are human and we are alive, which is something to be grateful for. Grief is a journey...a long, continuous, and never-ending journey. When someone dies, there is no manual someone hands you to tell you how to feel or how to feel better or how to stop or start feeling a different way. That's what is so wonderful about Journey of Hope. Our program is designed to guide those who are grieving through their own personal grief journey. The curriculum isn't made for one person specifically. It's up for interpretation based on how that person is feeling in that moment and helps them process all the emotions they are feeling, not just grief.
Children are the most vulnerable age group of the human race. What they see, experience, and learn now will mold them into the adult they will later become. Grief is such a strong emotion made up of many other emotions. It's very complex and guidance significantly helps with this. The feeling of being alone is scary for anyone, but especially children. When they are in a group with others their same age who have experienced something similar, they feel a connection, reassurance, and a sense of relief knowing there are actually others out there who understand what they are going through.
Journey of Hope isn't just a job for me. It's a passion. I believe in our program, what we do, and how important it is to the youth of our society.
I recently lost my sweet and loving grandmother. I will be walking a 5K with my daughter, Aubree, in my grandmother's memory. I am not just walking for her though. I am walking for everyone who has lost someone important to them and who is going through their grief journey one day at a time.
Please consider donating to this cause, this organization, and helping us to support children who are grieving.
