This episode is challenging because Jan 2nd is the Calendar day when Christina died by suicide in 2018, leaving behind a infant son and a family who will love and miss her forever. And that’s why this podcast is dedicated to providing support and information with resources for children who have lost a parent to maternal suicide. It’s a difficult conversation and yet I’m hoping it’s going to provoke thought and awareness in you and that you will share the resources with others. When Christina left us, our family was frozen in grief, like many others, and we don’t know if we were in a place to use this type of information. It’s such a personally tragic time in a families life and everyone grieves differently, so the places we're sharing with you will also be on our Web site and the purpose for putting all this together is to place the information where it can be found, make sure it is as accurate as possible because at the time of this broadcast, we found many broken links and bumps along our research path, and we always want to provide a path that’s as easy to navigate as possible. The Dougy Center: Website: https://www.dougy.org/
Their Mission: To provide grief support in a safe place where children, teens, young adults, and their families can share their experiences before and after a death. Highlight: Large volume of resources, Including tip sheets, activities, podcasts, and more through our personalized toolkits. Comfort Zone Camp: https://comfortzonecamp.org/ Mission: To empower grieving children to fully realize their capacity to heal, grow, and lead more fulfilling lives. Comfort Zone Camp is a nonprofit organization that provides bereavement camps and programs for children who have experienced the death of a parent or sibling, including those who have lost a parent to suicide. Highlight: Putting words into action with in-persona and virtual activities. The National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG) Website: https://childrengrieve.org/ - The National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG) is just that NATIONAL a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about the needs of children and teens who are grieving a death and provides education and resources for anyone who supports them. Highlight: Based in Texas, Offers National directory, grant opportunities to encourage advocacy and membership. New York Life Foundation Website: https://www.newyorklife.com/newsroom/parent-suicide-new-york-life-foundation - While the parent entity, NY life Insurance is widely known, we found an excellent brochure dedicated to grieving children and families. In a future FOZA Podcast we plan to delve into strategies related to insurance and financial planning to support the children who are left behind. Be sure to subscribe to our Podcast so you won’t miss that. One Common Bond https://1commonbond.org/ - Mission: One Common Bond provides grief support to those affected by sudden and tragic death. They provide assistance, and resources from the initial time of loss, and continue to support during the long-term grief journey. Highlight Our FOZA Followers will recognize One Common Bond as the grief support branch of 4R Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention Training and a Partner with FOZA to bring awareness to suicide intervention and prevention. A wonderful organization and mission to learn about and share with others. We keep in mind that grieving is a process, and as they grow and interact with peers, children may need ongoing support and reassurance as they come to terms with their loss. Our job as family members, caregivers and loved-ones is to provide patience, understanding, a safe space and encouragement for them to express their feelings and ask questions as they process their grief. If you are feeling challenged in finding resources in your local area, please visit our FOZA Finder Resource and we’ll help you find support in your zip code. You never need to provide any sensitive or confidential information. Well FOZA Fans that’s it for this episode. I hope this New Year will bring you joy and all that you wish for. This is Paulette Smith, singing off in Loving Memory of Christina Lashawn Thompson Adams
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