When someone close to you dies or has an advanced serious illness, it can feel like no one understands what you’re going through. But at Dougy Center, children, teens, young adults, and families, find community, support, and hope — and discover they’re not alone.
“Dougy Center is so important,” a Dougy Center parent recently explained. “We grieve in private, but we heal in community. Even if those moments are excruciating and confusing, knowing that there are people who have felt as terrible as you feel and survived is so powerful. It’s not a stretch to say that Dougy Center saved our lives.”
Grief Support for Children & Families
In Portland, 1 in 13 children will have a parent or sibling die before they turn 18. Dougy Center serves these children, teens, and their adult family members through peer grief support groups — providing direct services to more than 2,700 people each year. Dougy Center groups are organized by age, the person who died, and how they died so that youth and adults can be with others who have had similar experiences. While adult groups focus on sharing and listening, children and teens can also express themselves through art, music, games, and other creative outlets. Most importantly, all services are provided to families at no cost.
In addition, Dougy Center provides hundreds of resources, including tip sheets, activities, articles, podcast episodes, and more — also at no cost — through dougy.org. Dougy Center’s staff answers thousands of calls from people in crisis and trains more than 6,000 professionals each year.
The Growing Need
The death of a family member is one of the most disruptive experiences in a child’s life, and without appropriate support, often leads to adverse long-term health outcomes. Recent studies, however, show that youth who participate in support groups based on The Dougy Center Model have increased feelings of hopefulness, self-worth, and social support.
Because the need for Dougy Center’s services is growing — with more families on its waiting list than ever before — Dougy Center is working to expand its reach with a second home on Portland’s west side. The new location could double Dougy Center’s capacity to provide grief support groups and services to families.
Community of Giving
Dougy Center programs are made possible by a generous community of people, corporations, and foundations. To make an impact for families who are grieving, visit dougy.org/donate. And save the date for the Reflection Benefit & Auction, one of Portland’s premier events and Dougy Center’s largest fundraiser. Reflection will be May 8, 2026, at Hyatt Regency Portland.
If you or someone you know is grieving and needs support, visit dougy.org for information and resources.
