What is Good Grief?

good-grief.org/
Good Grief’s mission is to build resilience in children, strengthen families, and empower communities to grow from loss and adversity. The foundation of our work since our founding in 2004 is the understanding that grief is a universal human experience that serves a purpose by helping us rebuild our lives and adapt after tragedy.
Good Grief equips people to face grief and other adversity from the start by giving them tools they can use for the remainder of their lives. Our programs reduce isolation, teach resilience, create a safe environment to people to remember and share their grief story, and develop a sense of possibility and hopefulness for the future.
We achieve our mission through four key initiatives:
Nights of Support
Our nationally respected programs equip grieving families with the support and tools they need to face their grief. We help families develop healthy coping skills and provide a caring environment to process their feelings and fears during an exceedingly difficult and uncertain time in their lives.
Good Grief Schools
Our school-based program takes a comprehensive approach to help children build resilience to overcome loss and adversity in their lives. Our research-informed model consists of four programs developed specifically to create a healthy and supportive environment for students, educators, and parents.
Satellite Programs
To support urban youth who have difficulty accessing bereavement resources in their communities, Good Grief created an accessible program for grieving children that addresses their emotional, mental, and physical needs. We deliver these programs multiple times per year in Jersey City and Newark.
Grief Expressions Summer Camp
Grief Expressions Summer Camp is a full-immersion experience for 1st
through 8th graders who have experienced the death of someone important in their lives. Camp provides kids with the unique opportunity to use their creativity and imagination to express their grief in a safe, supportive environment.
The peer support and education programs offered by Good Grief are widely acknowledged to be the most effective intervention for reducing stress and supporting post-traumatic growth. This is confirmed by extensive data demonstrating our ability to diminish risk factors and promote safe and supportive environments for grieving
children and families.
Good Grief plays a critical role in raising awareness and advocating for grieving children and families. Our comprehensive education and advocacy efforts focus attention on the needs of grieving children, reduce stigma around death and grief, and equip communities to support grieving children where they live, learn, and play.
good-grief.org/