February 2019
The New York Life Foundation awards $1 million grant to The Dougy Center The New York Life Foundation recently awarded The Dougy Center a $1 million grant to be paid over the next three years. This is the single largest grant award to The Dougy Center in its 36-year history and will fund expansion of its program development trainings in the U.S. and around the world. The Dougy Center Model emphasizes peer grief support where children and teens share their experiences through play, art, games, talking, and other activities and the Centers unique, evidence-informed approach has been replicated by more than 500 programs worldwide. Funding from the New York Life Foundation will help increase The Dougy Centers capacity to train organizations serving grieving children and their families through the following: Expansion of its online training portals. Development of additional materials and resources including a comprehensive manual on The Dougy Center Model that will permanently live on its website. Four additional scholarships to The Dougy Center’s International Summer Institute training where individuals receive hands-on experience running peer-to-peer support groups for grieving children and teens. If you are interested in applying for a 2019 International Summer Institute scholarship or would like to find out more, click here. A sincere thank you to the New York Life Foundation for their investment in The Dougy Center, and for their commitment to grieving children and families. Top
Save the Date for the 2019 Reflection Benefit Event Chair Adriane Blackman invites you to join us for the 2019 Annual Reflection Benefit Dinner & Auction, presented by KinderCare Education. This fabulous evening begins at 5:30 p.m. and includes a silent auction showcasing a gallery of childrens art, an elegant dinner, and a live auction filled with unique packages. Friday, May 10, 2019 at 5:30 p.m. The Portland Art Museum 1219 SW Park Ave, Portland Purchase tickets here. The evening culminates with the announcement of the 2019 Porsche Boxster Raffle winner at 9:30 p.m. Find out how you can support The Dougy Center with your donation to the live or silent auction, or become a sponsor. Be part of this Portland tradition! Contact Rebecca Sturges at 503.542.4827 or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) for more information. Top
Grief and Valentine's Day When it comes to grief and holidays it may feel hard to catch a break. After getting through the winter holidays, there is barely a moment to get your bearings before Valentines Day surfaces on the horizon. Even if youve never really felt connected to Valentines Day, advertisements and casual conversations about plans can leave you feeling isolated. Here are some ideas for acknowledging the day: Decide ahead of time which traditions you and your family want to keep and discuss who will be responsible for what. Reassure yourself and others that it is okay to not continue certain traditions. Connect with others you find to be supportive. This might mean setting up a phone call, email chat, or getting together for a walk or coffee. Schedule some self-care that feels replenishing: go for a hike, check out a new movie, take a yoga class, meet up with friends, journal, or cook a nourishing meal. Send a card, flowers, or an email to friends and family who are going through a hard time. If it feels right, create a ritual or activity connected to the person who died. Ideas include: cooking a meal they enjoyed or going to their favorite restaurant. Many kids like to bring something - card, flowers, balloons - to the grave site or to where the ashes were spread. If its not possible to visit in person, consider displaying a picture or a drawing of the location and inviting children to place their gifts nearby. Write a card or letter to the person who died. You might include: events you wish you could talk with them about, things you are grateful to them for, or anything that comes to mind. You can keep, bury, or burn what you write. Whatever you decide, go easy on yourself. There can be so much pressure, both internal and external, to think or feel a certain way. Wed love to hear what you decide to do (or not do) with the day. Share with us on Facebook. If youre looking for help, Episode 05 of the Grief Out Loud podcast is full of strategies for approaching Valentines Day when you are carrying both love and grief in your heart. Top
Support The Dougy Center just by shopping with your Fred Meyer Rewards Card Fred Meyer donates over $2 million per year to non-profits based on where their customers tell them to give. Heres how the program works: Sign up for the Community Rewards program by linking your Fred Meyer Rewards Card to The Dougy Center at fredmeyer.com/communityrewards. You can search for us by our name or by our non-profit number QD638. Then, every time you shop and use your Rewards Card, you are helping The Dougy Center earn a donation! You still earn your Rewards Points, Fuel Points, and Rebates, just as you do today. If you do not have a Rewards Card, they are available at the Customer Service desk of any Fred Meyer store. For more information, please visit fredmeyer.com/communityrewards. Top |