The Journey Journal

April 2022

In this issue:

One Last Hug
Heart Art Show
Spotlight: Journey Intern, Sandra Dominic
19th Annual Swing Fore Hope Golf Tournament
You can provide a critical piece of the Journey of Hope program

Families created Heart Art in memory of someone who died in their family.

One Last Hug

It's often a challenge for adults to verbalize their emotions when they are experiencing grief. So, it's easy to understand the struggle children face in finding the words to describe their grief after losing a loved one.

We use the power of art to help encourage meaningful conversations among children. This gives them a constructive, non-verbal avenue to help navigate their grief. Even the simplest of arts and crafts can bring out the words children need to describe how they are feeling.

We created a cathartic experience by asking children to write the one thing they wish they could say to the person who died on dissolving paper and place it into a bowl of water.

Addison, an 8-year-old participant, only wrote one word on her paper that reflected her feelings toward her late grandmother. Hug. All she wanted was to give her grandmother one more hug.

“I’m sad because I didn’t get to say goodbye. I didn’t know that would be the last hug forever,” Addison says.

Consider donating art supplies from our wish list so we can help even more children like Addison through the power of art.

Click here to see our wish list

Heart Art Show

On April 2nd, we invited Journey families to create artwork at the ArtCentre of Plano and to place a rock at our Remembrance Garden. Dallas Art Therapy provided a collaborative art piece for families to create a special symbol that represents their grief. We were happy to partner with HopeKids, a local nonprofit that provides a unique support community for families who have a child with cancer or other life-threatening medical conditions.

If you would like to view or add a piece, the art will be displayed until April 21st.

Spotlight: Journey Intern, Sandra Dominic

We are so glad that Sandra Dominic, a senior undergrad UTD student, has joined the Journey team as an intern.

“Loss and grief have been prevalent lately due to the pandemic, so I wanted to learn more and get involved.”

One of Sandra's tasks is to prepare art projects that help children share their grief stories and voice their emotions. She is also a Group Facilitator for the preschool and 1st-grade group in Plano.

In Sandra’s short time as a facilitator, she has seen how nervous the children are as they attend a group for the first time. She noticed the nervous children quickly becoming comfortable speaking and processing their emotions.

“It really makes me happy that these kids and their families have a safe space where they feel comfortable opening up.”

Sandra is seeing how different this experience is for children of all ages and family dynamics. Sandra knows she wants to work with children in the future, so she feels her time spent at Journey is incredibly valuable for her personal development.

“I’m directly engaging with children, learning about their different emotions, thought processes, and needs, and it’s helping me understand them on a deeper level so I can serve them better in the future.”

Sandra is enjoying her own personal journey through school with the incorporation of interning at Journey of Hope. She feels “it is a wonderful opportunity to give back to your community and incredibly rewarding to make a difference in the lives of the families Journey serves.”

We feel great knowing she will use the knowledge from her time with us to help more children in the future.

If you are interested in becoming a facilitator, please join our upcoming training on May 13th, 14th, and 15th. Click here to reserve your spot!

Click here to learn more about being a Group Facilitator

We appreciate each and every one of our volunteers. Thank you so much for your contribution to

Journey of Hope.

Facilitators - Our program would not exist without these kind-hearted individuals. They go through a 14-hour training to lead our support groups and help the families we serve process their grief.

Board Members - Our passionate Board Members come from all walks of life offering their time, knowledge, connections, and expertise in strategy and governance for nonprofits.

Group Night Greeters - These friendly faces make an appearance on group night to offer warm smiles while families walk through the door. They answer questions and graciously assist our facilitators and staff in any way they can.

Group Night Meal Providers - These individuals, organizations, and community groups bring and serve food on group nights. Our families look forward to the meal they share together before beginning their group sessions.

Special Event Volunteers - From fundraisers to small family events, we appreciate the many individuals who help make our events a success. They donate their time and efforts to help events run smoothly and provide a wonderful experience for all participants.

Show our volunteers some love on social media!

Join us for our biggest fundraiser of the year! The event includes breakfast, a round of golf, a silent and live auction, and an awards luncheon. There are only a few slots left! Don't miss out on this exciting and fun annual event! Proceeds go towards helping us expand our reach to provide even more free grief support to children and families in need. Click here to register now!

Join us for our live and silent auction!

Live Auction Items

You can provide a critical piece of the

Journey of Hope Program

We all know the importance of sharing a meal. This is especially powerful when those sharing a meal all have at least one thing in common....someone important to them has died.

Get your community organization, church group, or your circle of friends together to provide and serve a meal to Journey families prior to their support group sessions. Locations are in Dallas, Plano, & Frisco.

Visit our Website

Give a gift of hope