Help grieving families find support and healing
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When your mom dies…
Knowing you are not alone—especially in times of tragedy—can provide enormous comfort. For nearly 30 years, The Dougy Center has been a place of support and healing for children, teens, young adults and their families who are grieving a death.
Michael Krol and his kids Sophia, age six, and August, age four, started coming to The Dougy Center shortly after his wife Colette died of cancer.
“Colette was the kind of person who would light up a room,” remembers Michael. “She never once complained about being sick. Both of us were positive she was going to beat cancer.” But after more than a year of treatments, Colette died in August of 2010. Michael heard about The Dougy Center from hospice, and they began attending support groups a month later.
At The Dougy Center, August and Sophia attend peer support groups with kids their own age who have also had a family member die. Michael attends the concurrent adult group and finds comfort and support from other parents.
“The Dougy Center has been extremely helpful for all of us,” said Michael. “The kids really benefit by relating to other kids who have had similar experiences. And it’s just as important for adults.”
Because the death of a family member often brings financial instability, The Dougy Center does not charge a fee to families. It costs $1,500 for one child to participate in The Dougy Center for one year—and we rely on the generous support of donors like you to continue our important mission.
“At The Dougy Center, I play with my friends and talk about my mom. It makes me feel good,” said Sophia.
“The Dougy Center makes me feel happy,” added August.
Please help the Krols and hundreds of grieving families in our community through your contribution today.
Make a difference to a grieving family
Special thank you to the Krol family for sharing their story.