Dear Uplift Community,
I’m honored and excited to share that this year, we’re celebrating the 20th anniversary of Uplift Center for Grieving Children. 2020 has certainly brought challenges for all of us, but thanks to your support, we continue to ensure that no child grieves alone. Our work is more important than ever, and the Uplift team is up to the task.
The month of October saw sobering milestones for our community: Philadelphia’s homicide rate is up 42% from 2019 and coronavirus cases have increased by 2,751. On Monday of this week, Walter Wallace, Jr., a young Black father with known mental health conditions, was shot and killed by Philadelphia police officers in a heartbreaking case where non-violent alternatives should have been employed.
Yet amid these heartaches, frustrations, and other manifestations of grief, there is hope.
Uplift’s Family Services clinicians are completing the fall’s first cycle of grief support groups – 15 separate groups met over 5 weeks, ensuring focused support for children, youth, teens, and caregivers, as well as special “together” groups for young children and caregivers. School grief groups are working with school staff to ensure continuous support for students before, during, and after groups. Legacy Groups offer space for close friends to remember and memorialize schoolfriends who have died, and Uplift staff is working to keep Legacy Group students connected to each other and continued grief support. Uplift’s work with Queer and Trans youth is expanding, recognizing the importance of the community grief this population is experiencing due to Covid-specific estrangements and murders in Philadelphia’s trans community. Uplift’s bilingual and bicultural clinicians and interns are working to expand curriculum and services. And the Philly HopeLine continues to be on the frontline of supporting students, families, and schools amidst all that is happening in our city.
The depth and breadth of Uplift’s work is a testament to our staff of dedicated and experienced team members, as well as to your support that helps make the work happen. Thank you for our first 20 years. I look forward continuing to share uplifting news with you!
With Gratitude,
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Darcy Walker Krause
Executive Director
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Save-the-Date for Upcoming Panel "Speaking Grief for 20 Years" on November 19, 2020
Please plan to join us for Uplift’s first livestream panel discussion, which will air live on Facebook and Zoom from 6:00 PM- 7:30 PM on Children's Grief Awareness Day, Thursday, November 19, 2020.
Moderated by Uplift's Clinical Director, Kevin Carter, Speaking Grief for 20 Years recognizes the unique challenges and strengths of grieving children and caregivers in the City of Philadelphia, and brings together a panel of experts to discuss ways that we can increase healing and supportive environments for children. Guest panelists include Dr. Jayme Banks, Director of Trauma Informed School Practices at the School District of Philadelphia and Chantay Love, Programming Manager at EMIR Healing Center. More information and links to the panel will be available closer to the date.
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Hope is Just a Call Away on the Philly HopeLine
The Philly HopeLine is Uplift's free, confidential helpline providing mental health counseling, emotional wellness, and coping strategies for losses due to COVID-19. It is sponsored together with the School District of Philadelphia and is a resource for students, families, and staff at the School District. The Philly HopeLine is staffed by Uplift's Masters' level clinicians, and counseling is available in English, Spanish, and over 150 other languages through the District's interpretation line.
Call or text the Philly HopeLine at 1-833-PHL-HOPE (1-833-745-4673).
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Uplift in the Media: Listen to Interviews with Kevin Carter, Meghan Szafran, and Lamya Broussard
We are so proud of Uplift’s clinicians for receiving local and national recognition for their expertise in working with grieving children. Click the links below to hear how the Uplift staff is educating people around the country.
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Clinical Director Kevin Carter spoke with Jana DeCristofaro on Grief Out Loud, The Dougy Center's podcast. In his interview, Kevin discusses how COVID-19, protests against police brutality and racial violence, and rising rates of gun violence in Philadelphia impact children and teens who are already carrying grief, and shares how Uplift supports families through virtual groups.
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Cherri Gregg, KYW Newsradio Community Affairs reporter, interviewed Director of School and Community Services Meghan Szafran and School and Community Services Clinician Lamya Broussard on a special episode of the podcast Flashpoint. Meghan and Lamya share how Uplift supports children and families through the Philly HopeLine.
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Thank You for Supporting Uplift's 19th Annual Golf Invitational! |
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On Tuesday, October 6, Uplift held our 19th Annual Golf Invitational at White Manor Country Club. Thanks to our generous sponsors, players, and donors, we raised $165,925 to support Uplift's work with grieving children and families. We are especially thankful to all who chose to support our mission: your choice to think about the children and families we serve speaks volumes about who you are.
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Your gifts make possible the vital grief support Uplift continues to provide for grieving children, youth, teens, caregivers and professionals:
- Virtual grief support groups for children, caregivers, school students, and community group participants;
- Support through the Philly HopeLine, a helpline for School District of Philadelphia students and families during current school closures and through the end of the year;
- Virtual crisis supports for schools, community organizations, and city agencies in partnership with the Department of Behavioral Health and disAbility Services’ Network of Neighbors;
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A free webinar series for support staff titled Support for the Helpers: Moving Through Our Collective Grief & Trauma Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic;
- Virtual trainings for professionals on how to best work with grieving children;
- Creating and sharing tip sheets for speaking with children about the COVID-19 pandemic, social isolation, and safety and protection; and
- Hosting online book readings and activities for children and families.
- The CARES Act creates a new above-the-line deduction for you for total charitable contributions of up to $300. The incentive applies to cash contributions made in 2020 and can be claimed on tax forms next year.
- The law also lifts the existing cap on annual contributions if you itemize, raising it from 60% of adjusted gross income to 100%.
Thank you!
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Uplift Center for Grieving Children is a non-profit tax-exempt corporation under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code. The official registration and financial information of Uplift Center for Grieving
Children may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.
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