Children’s Grief Center offers support ahead of holidays

[anvplayer video=”5072668″ station=”998127″]

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – November is Children Grief Awareness Month and as everyone heads into the holidays, a lot more people are grieving since the pandemic. But there is help out there.

“Since 2001, we’ve served over 7,000 individuals in bereavement support groups. We’ve served hundreds more in special workshops, our statewide Camp Corazon Program, and various special events over the years,” said Jade Richardson Bock with Children’s Grief Center.

And soon the Children’s Grief Center and the Grief Resource Center will operate under the same building to serve more New Mexicans.

“We’re all grieving. And here at the Children’s Grief Center, and the Grief Resource Center, the people we serve come to us after a death. But our whole community is grieving a loss of normalcy, sense of safety, you know, all of those things that we kind of took for granted before the pandemic,” said Bock.

That’s why this weekend, they held a special session just to deal with grief over the holidays – something a lot more people are experiencing since the pandemic.

“We can’t go back in time. And I think that also creates a sense of grief and loss. For all of us. I think it’s important for us to remember, we’re all grieving. You know, when we’re in traffic when we’re in line at the grocery store, we need to be a little more gentle and kind with each other right now,” Bock said.

The pandemic has also made things tougher to provide support. Thankfully, they said they haven’t had to turn anyone away. But they do need the public’s help.

“There’s a lot of ways people can help. We’re a community based organization, we never charge for services. So receiving donations and time, you know, a skilled volunteer hours and folks signing up for our bereavement facilitator training in January would be a huge help,” said Bock.

Volunteers don’t have to have gone through some sort of loss.

“We need volunteers that are able to commit to a year of service and facilitating grief support groups will teach you everything you need to know,” Bock said.

Applications are open now, visit Children’s Grief Center of New Mexico’s website for more information.