Becker Funeral Home recently partnered with the Boys & Girls Club of South Lake County in support of Children’s Grief Awareness Month, an initiative developed to educate and encourage honest conversations with children surrounding grief and loss.

According to the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model, 1 in 14, or 5.2 million children in the U.S. will experience the death of a parent or sibling before they reach the age of 18.  Research shows that if left unattended, symptoms of grief can significantly affect a child’s physical, mental, and emotional development.  Despite this research, the needs of bereaved children tend to go largely unrecognized.

Demonstrating their commitment to supporting children and families in their community, Becker Funeral Home provided supplies and support for the children of the Boys and Girls Club to create a “remembering ornament”, a grief activity created by a well-known online resource for grief and bereavement called, What’s Your Grief?  “This activity gave the children an opportunity to identify feelings related to grief and to share memories of their loved ones”, said Emily Long, Grief Support Specialist at Becker Funeral Home. “Most importantly though, it opened up a conversation between peers with the understanding that all feelings are okay.  We hope this experience planted a seed that promotes a healthy grief process as they continue to grow and develop.”

Cheryl O’Rourke, director of the Boys & Girls Club said the activity, “really encouraged the youth to open up about the losses they have experienced and engage in sharing memories.  Not only did it help to educate them on grief and loss, but it provided an opportunity to strengthen the bonds between our children and staff”

For additional information on how to help bereaved children, or for assistance locating community resources on grief and bereavement, feel free to call Emily Long at Becker Funeral Home at (352) 394-7121.