Grief can affect every part of life. It can alter relationships, routines, faith, identity, school, work, and the way a person sees the future. Yet many grieving people are left trying to find support on their own.

Restoring Hope was created to change that reality. We know the need is not only for a week or a month, but often grief support is needed over months and years.

Through our Bereaved Parents Support Group, gatherings, conversations with families, partnerships, and community outreach, one thing has become increasingly clear:

There is a need for ongoing, accessible grief support in our region. A place where grieving children, individuals, and families can be supported for the long road.

Currently, there are over 3200 children in our region who have experienced the death of a parent or sibling*. And children are only part of the story. Parents, spouses, siblings, grandparents, friends, and entire families are navigating life after loss every day.

*Source: Judi’s House/JAG Institute, 2025 CBEM 

Our vision is to create a welcoming place where grieving children, teens, adults, and families can find compassionate support, meaningful connection, and hope.

• A place where grief is not treated as something to get over.
• A place where people can return if their grief changes.
• A place where children and adults can meet with trained facilitators who understand grief.
• A place where families, churches, schools, and community leaders can learn how to better support those who are grieving.
• A place where no one is turned away because they cannot afford care.
• A place where no one grieves alone.

We are grateful for the churches, schools, and community partners who have opened their doors to us. Those spaces have made our current work possible. But a dedicated center would allow grief support to become more consistent, more accessible, and more tailored to the needs of our community. It would provide appropriate spaces for children and teens. It would give families a familiar place to return to. And it would create a home for training, community, education, individual support, and remembrance. The goal is to create a place where grief is welcomed and people are not left to carry it alone.

We are taking this vision one step at a time. We are building the partnerships the training, the programs, and the financial foundation needed to serve our community well.

You can be a part of what comes next.

Support grieving families today. Help build what comes next!

We are prayerfully and dilligently working towards accomplishing this vision, and we invite you to be part of what God is doing through Restoring Hope.