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Last updated on May 13, 2008

The Center for Grieving Children's mission is to provide loving support to grieving children, teens, and the community through peer support, outreach and education. We honor and encourage the safe expression of grief and loss. We provide a loving community to foster the discovery and development of each child's own resiliency and emotional well-being.

Description:
WHO WE ARE AND WHY WE'RE HERE

"When a child is ready to leave the peer support group, that always touches me very deeply, because I see how far they've come. From that first night when they arrive and they're very scared, and they're very sad, and very quiet - usually. And at the point they are when they actually leave The Center they're in such a different place. They discover joy again."

• Simeon Goldstein, Volunteer Facilitator.
  
  

Most children will experience the death of someone close to them in their childhood. This experience can have a profound effect on their life. Often there is no place for a child to mourn their loss. Our work with families has shown us that when children have a safe place to tell their stories of loss, express their feelings, and begin healing, a foundation is established for dealing with loss for the rest of their lives. This can prevent a child from being misunderstood and having physical, emotional, social and/or academic troubles that often continue into adulthood.

The Center's four major programs include Bereavement Peer Support, Tender Living Care (for families facing a life-threatening illness), Community Outreach & Education, and our Multicultural Peer Support Program. We also provide phone support, referrals and a bibliography of grief support books for all ages. Training in the Peer Support Model is available to agencies through the Fall Training Institute.

Check our website at WWW.CGCMAINE.ORG for more details.

History:
Bill Hemmens, who wanted to help his 9-year-old niece, Erin, after her mother died of cancer, founded The Center for Grieving Children in 1987. It was the first of its kind in New England and third in the country. The Center started with four families with peer support groups one night a week and today serves hundreds of families in peer groups four nights a week and thousands more through our Community Outreach & Education Program. A 25-member volunteer Board of Directors governs The Center. The Center has over 140 active volunteers.

Contact person: Administrative Assistant, (phone), (email)
Office fax number: 207-773-7417

Address:

555 Forest Avenue Portland, ME 04101 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.cgcmaine.org

Directions:

We have a map on our website WWW.CGCMAINE.ORG

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