Holding on to HOPE:
Children's Grief Awareness Day 2016

Thursday, November 17th, was  Children's Grief Awareness Day ! We were proud to wear blue to show our support and to connect with the community to raise awareness of the unique needs of grieving children and teens.  

Leading up to the event, we asked our TCR community to share their thoughts on the importance of grief awareness and support. Their beautiful handwritten reflections were written on blue hearts.    
    
#CGADHope bracelets. TCR staff and interns hosted outreach and awareness activities at 7 different schools and community centers throughout Greater Boston.


Once completed, every two hearts were joined together as a butterfly, symbolizing the integration of grief and awareness and the changes that occur as we support each other with care and understanding.  

Ultimately, all of the messages we received were gathered and assembled by our incredible interns into one big, beautiful display.
   

For more photos from throughout the day, please visit our Facebook page                
  

First Steps: Our New Porch Welcomes Families


The threshold, taking the first steps, the entryway, the way in . . .
 
How you feel when you first arrive to a new environment or even to an environment you are familiar with can greatly affect the initial feelings you have of safety, feeling welcomed, and ultimately "landing" and  connecting with the space.

The children, teens, and families who make their way to our big yellow Victorian house, up the stairs, across the porch, and through the blue door  know the courage it takes to arrive.

Our front porch, a most important "welcoming space" at The Children's Room, was sorely in need of repair.  Martin Conneely and Conneely Contracting, Inc., have supported our mission and our house renovations for many, many years. He and his skilled team have always worked tirelessly and meticulously to support the historic aesthetic of our treasured house. This summer they contracted with us to renovate our  entrance, the  first steps in welcoming our families!  

This work was funded by three generous donors including the Adelard A. Roy and Valdea Lea Roy Foundation


On Grieving During the Holidays

If you celebrate, Thanksgiving Day may be a special moment of the year dedicated to celebrating and acknowledging our gratitude. Thanksgiving can be an especially complicated and difficult time for those who are grieving. For some, Thanksgiving ushers in the beginning of a holiday season that can feel relentless in the way it impacts our emotions.

Here are some tips on how you can help take care of yourself and those close to you during Thanksgiving and during the holiday season to come. We hope you find them helpful.  

           


The Many Rewards of Matching Gifts
Chris Watson and his family
at this year's Annual Memories Walk

Chris Watson, Regional Sales Manager at  MathWorks , has been a stalwart friend to TCR for many years as well as a volunteer peer support group facilitator. 

Recently he took time to speak to us about the benefits of his experience with utilizing MathWorks's matching gifts program.

"I've been truly humbled by this process," Chris said. "I've been humbled not just by the dollars raised but by the graciousness and the warmth of the responses from the people I have reached out to."

We encourage you to follow Chris's example and explore matching gifts at your office today.

Thank you, Chris, for all you do for TCR!


If you have questions about or need help with matching gifts, please contact Becca at becca@childrensroom.org or 781-641-4741, x334.

TCR Teen Program Participants Cheer on BU Hockey 


For more photos from the event, please
click the photo above to visit our Facebook page!
On Saturday, November 5, 2016, a group of TCR Teen Program participants gathered together to cheer the BU Terrier's Ice Hockey Team to a 3-0 victory! We would like to extend a huge thank you to the BU team for their generosity in providing tickets, apparel, and a special invitation to be featured as participants in the Chuck-a-Puck contest, with proceeds benefitting TCR. We also extend warm thanks to  98.5 The Sports Hub  for coordinating this wonderful event.This was an incredibly exciting and memorable event for our teens! 


Save the Date for #GivingTuesday: November 29, 2016

After Black Friday and Cyber Monday have come and gone, be sure to set aside some time after the shopping rush to kick off the season of giving with us on  #GivingTuesday

Mark your calendars for November 29th, and  please consider donating to TCR  to give the gift of hope to children and teens who are grieving the death of a parent or sibling this holiday season.


Join Us For A TCR Teen Challenge Event at Boda Borg Boston

Saturday, December 3, 2016
1:30 pm to 6:45 pm  


Please register by the deadline
of Monday, November 28th


Teens will tackle a variety of challenges in a real-world gaming environment! Climb through treacherous jungle obstacles, battle pirates, show off your dance skills in a laser room,
or escape Alcatraz 
. . . the choice is yours at Boda Borg Boston! 

This  FREE  event will include admission into Boda Borg Boston, transportation to and from Malden, and a buffet dinner.

Questions? Please feel free to email  teens@childrensroom.org.


Community Tours

To RSVP for a scheduled tour or for more information, please contact  tours@childrensroom.org  or call Becca at 781-641-4741 ext. 334.


Shopping With A Purpose


Please remember to support TCR when you shop on Amazon!

A portion of your eligible purchases will be donated to TCR when you shop through smile.amazon.com.


Our Heartfelt Thanks


By our calculations, it took  approximately 111 volunteer hours  of folding, stuffing, and sealing to get this year's  annual appeal mailing  to the post office. WHEW! Huge thanks to all of our volunteers for all of their time and effort getting everything ready to mail, and a very special thank you to  Board Member Mary Ellen Margosian  for once again offering her home as our mailing's assembly headquarters!




 

The Children's Room has partnered with Donate for Charity to make it fast and easy to donate your old vehicle to TCR. Your vehicle will be picked up - free of charge! - from anywhere and TCR will receive a donation in the amount of the vehicle's value.
     
Did a friend forward you this email?  
to receive our newsletter!
 
 
Read our most recent newsletter :

  

Facebook logo
Twitter logo



 

   

1210 Massachusetts Avenue, Arlington, MA 02476


 

Phone: 781-641-4741   

Fax: 781-641-0012   


 

childrensroom.org