Help Our Community’s Grieving Children by Becoming a Support Group Volunteer Facilitator

The Elizabeth Hospice, the leading provider of free grief support services for children and teens, is looking for volunteers to help facilitate peer-based support groups at their Children’s Bereavement Centers in Escondido and Mission Valley. These groups, which are open to everyone in the community, provide children, ages 3 to 17, with a safe environment to share their grief story, learn coping skills and connect with other kids who are experiencing similar circumstances.
 
Support groups meet bimonthly throughout the school year. Volunteers are required to make a six-hour, bimonthly commitment from October 2019 through May 2020. Volunteers have the option to work in either the Escondido or Mission Valley location.  
 
“Childhood grief is more prevalent than most people realize,” said Melissa Lunardini, Children’s Bereavement Manager at The Elizabeth Hospice. “One in five children will experience the loss of a significant person in their life before they reach the age of 18. Grieving children are at higher than normal risk for problems in school, substance abuse, depression and anxiety. By providing understanding, support and opportunities to freely express their thoughts and feelings, children can once again feel hopeful and imagine a life full of possibilities.”
 
As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, The Elizabeth Hospice depends on the generosity of individuals in the community who are willing to donate their time to serve as Children’s Bereavement Program volunteers.
 
Prospective volunteers are invited to attend a two-day training (both dates are mandatory):

• Saturday, September 14, 2019 from 10 am to 6 pm at The Elizabeth Hospice office located at 500 La Terraza Blvd., Escondido, 92025
• Sunday, September 15, 2019 from 10 am to 6 pm at The Elizabeth Hospice office located at 930 Canterbury Place, Escondido, 92025

For more information or to RSVP for the training sessions, contact Jessica Porte at Jessica.Porte@ehospice.org or 760-505-2303.
 
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About The Elizabeth Hospice
The Elizabeth Hospice, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit healthcare leader, has been providing comfort and counsel to children and adults faced with the challenges associated with a life-threatening illness, and restoring hope to grieving children and adults who are feeling lost and alone. Since 1978, The Elizabeth Hospice has touched the lives of more than 100,000 people in the communities it serves by providing medical, emotional and spiritual support, regardless of patient affiliation or ability to pay. The Elizabeth Hospice is accredited by The Joint Commission and is a member of the California Hospice and Palliative Care Association and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. To learn more, call 800.797.2050 or visit www.elizabethhospice.org.
 
 

Contact Information

Lisa Marcolongo

Public Relations

The Elizabeth Hospice

(1) (800) 797-2050

Lisa.Marcolongo@ehospice.org