COURAGE is a children’s bereavement program that offers a safe and structured place for children to express their feelings of grief and loss from death, divorce or separation of loved ones from Military Deployment.
COURAGE is a six week program offered to students K-12 free of charge.
Interested in starting a group at your school or organization? Call or email (lagetty@cchfoundation.net)
our
COURAGE Liaison
302-368-8944
Make a donation of $5 or more and receive a COURAGE necklace (pendant shown above is 7/8" on a black cord) it's a nice way to remind someone that they have the COURAGE to go on. All children who participate in the COURAGE PROGRAM receive a necklace of their own at the last session. Think about donating towards their necklace too!
Thanks to Valero for the gift that was used to lauch the COURAGE program and the Delaware Community Foundation for funding our technology!
COURAGE Bereavement Groups
K-12th Grade
Please click the link below to view the article that was featured front page in the News Journal on the COURAGE program: by Robin Brown June 15, 2009
STUDENTS FIND COMFORT THIS HOLIDAY SEASON- Middletown Transcript Dec. 17,2009
By: Jennifer Hayes- Staff Reporter
While the holiday season is traditionally a time of joy and happiness, it often brings pain and sadness to adults and children suffering the loss of a loved one.But a few students at Everett Meredith Middle School are learning to cope with their loss and celebrate their loved ones memories this holiday season. “The hardest part of the holiday is going out to open your presents and he’s not there,” said seventh grader Tyler Wilson about his father who passed away last year.
Eight students have spent an hour each week for the past six weeks sitting around a conference room table in the school’s guidance office talking about their families,emotions and the grieving process while they make collages and keepsakes in honor of a loved one who passed away.
In the Compassionate Courage group,run by the Compassionate Care Hospice Foundation, the kids are given a safe place to express their feelings of grief and loss from death, divorce, or separation of loved ones from military deployment.
With the holidays drawing near, Liaison Loretta Getty, who leads the children’s bereavement groups in schools throughout the state, said she not only wanted the students to find comfort this holiday. She wanted their words to help others, too.
The groups are putting together an article filled with memories, words of encouragement and advice for other children who will be missing someone over the holidays.
“These are the times when you’re thinking
of your loved ones the most,” Getty said. “There are ways to incorporate your grief with the celebration of the holiday.”
She said the article is made up of the students’ own thoughts and words.
“There’re a lot of books and articles out there for adults, but there’s nothing that’s specifically for kids and written by kids,”Getty said.
During their Dec.10 group, the MMS students pulled out foam cutouts,markers, glitter and glue and created snowflake and Christmas tree ornaments for their loved
ones.
“It’s a way for them to feel closer to their loved ones, and they can remember the courage program and the other kids,” Getty said.
While the students were hard at work, they talked about the holidays and what advice they would give to others going through the same situation.
“Don’t think of them not being there,”said seventh grader Abbie McNorton. “Just think of the good memories you had with them over the holidays.”
“Take out old pictures,” said seventh grader Paige Koeller. “Remake the memories and keep the traditions going.”
Abbie said each Christmas, her grandmother would give her a snow globe. After she passed away, her mom kept the tradition going.
Getty said the groups often help students
realize they’re not alone.
“A lot of times, if a child loses a parent, they really think they’re the only ones going through it,” she said. “This makes them feel more comfortable talking with their
peers.”
Paige said talking to the other kids and seeing their emotions has helped her mourn the loss of her father.
“It was very healing to my heart,” she
said.
EVERETT MEREDITH MIDDLE SCHOOL
The Compassionate Courage group at Everett Meredith Middle School created
ornaments for the loved ones they have lost. Pictured (from left to right) are Kaite
Lloyd, Jazmine Fisher, Damion Malone, Abbie McNorton, Stevie Hopman, David
Werts, Paige Koeller, TylerWilson and Liaison Loretta Getty. JENNIFER HAYES PHOTO
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!
TJX Foundation, VALERO Foundation and the
Delaware Community Foundation
Scroll to the bottom to view articles featured in the News Journal and Middletown Transcript
