Cove Center for Grieving Children Inc

After my father passed all I wanted to do was be a service to others especially help the youth with healing and art.

After my family donated a significant amount of money, we soon realized how poorly run and managed this organization is. Their executive director is unappreciative, disrespectful, and alienates its supporters. While the cause they serve is amazing, the waste is apparent at the most important level. I will never donate again after my experience with who runs this "ship". My advice, find another organization who will appreciate your donations. I already have.

The Cove helps grieving kids better than anyone else can. Getting together with others of their own age and learning about the manifestations of grief & strategies to handle their own confusing emotions after a family member's death has helped many young people I have known over the years as a therapist. And the youngsters have fun while doing all this work with their new friends at The Cove. "Priceless."

Back in the 1990's, I lost my wife to ovarian cancer. I have three children who now are in their 30's and, even today, are haunted by that tragic event. Although The Cove was in its infancy at that time, unfortunately, I was unaware of its existence. So I am very committed as Chair of The Cove's Trustees to touch as many lives of grieving children as we can and help them journey the path to healing. The Cove has just opened a new Family Site in Easton, CT to service the grieving children and families in Fairfield County, CT including those affected by the tragic events in Newtown.

The Cove fully relies on donations of individuals and organizations. As we push to expand our geographic reach with the goal of providing services to all children across Connecticut, our finances continue to be stretched and our need of support continues to grow. I personally do not want any grieving child or family to have to walk that very difficult journey alone so I ask that The Cove Center for Grieving Children be selected to receive a grant.

Thank you.

Simon Etzel

My two young children and I were one of the first families at the Cove. It was wonderful to be able to be with other families and share experiences together. The children each received care appropriate to their age, and I met with other parents - now alone too. At the end of each meeting we did a family activity which helped our communication and grieving. We still have a box with some of the items we made. My daughter appreciated the care so much she became a facilitator when she was in High School many years later to help grieving children like her.

This charity does very important work, helping children deal with grief. It is surprising that there are little resources available to address this area. Thankfully, The Cove exists to address this.

The Cove is an important organization. It helps hundreds of families cope with loss. My children have been going for 1 1/2 years. I will never know what the impact the Cove has had on them, but they are healthy and looking forward to next year.

Children are truly the forgotten grievers. Consequently bereavement groups for children don't exist in the state....except for The Cove. The Cove does an incredible job of supporting grieving children and adolescents. Simply being together with grieving peers helps to reduce the tremendous isolation associated with grief. The age-appropriate activities help to normalize the grieving process and provide coping skills. Imagine the impact on a child/adolescent grieving the recent death of a loved one when a peer states, "It does get easier with time." Imagine the impact on the grieving participant when the facilitator talks about taking a break from their grief to participate in an activity they enjoy. Imagine the chance to express regrets in a supportive environment. Research has shown that how a child/adolescent copes with grief is directly impacted by how the parent(s) or caregivers cope with their grief. Thus The Cove offers a professionally-facilitated support group for parents while the children are in their groups. My volunteer experience with The Cove was incredible. I have no doubt that the organization has made a tremendous difference in the lives of hundreds of grieving families.

We attended The Cove for over three years. The Cove provided the comfort and support we needed during a very difficult time as well as connected us with others who related our sadness. The Cove was a place for my children to meet others who have also experienced a profound loss it gave them the feeling of belonging. The Volunteers are sensitive , loving compassionate people who are trained in dealing with children and grief. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is looking to learn how to support their children after the loss of a parent.

Most people can not imagine the pain that a family suffers when a loved one is taken too early in life. Thank goodness there are organizations like the Cove that offer a professional way to deal with the loss and grieving process. The Cove has got it all! They are true professionals in this area and they are amazing! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for all you do.

Our 6 year old son has really benefited from making friends with other children who have had loved ones die. After his little brother died he was very anger but has now learned to deal with his anger in good ways. The Cove has also been a good resource for my husband and I in learning how children deal with grief and how to help them through it.

The Cove Center for Grieving Children is a non-profit that truly impacts the development of children and their families. Through the work that facilitators, board members, volunteers and contributors do this supportive environment helps children learn to cope with their loss and successfully grow through this difficult change in their lives. It brings children together with other children their age who have experienced a similar loss, which makes them feel supported and more importantly not alone in their experience. Through creative activities and group work children are able to process and learn from their grief, and I have seen many children become happier kids that go on to help others like themselves. This unique non-profit also support the family as a whole, enabling families to learn together and grow as a family unit. Death is a hard topic and The Cove makes it a safe and loving environment to process feelings and emotions that others may not comprehend. I am grateful for this non-profit and all the hard work it does to support children and families. The growth of this non-profit is a testament to the positive impact it has on grieving children and families!

My husband, and the father of my kids, was killed by a drunk driver 5 years ago. Two years ago, I started taking my children to The Cove. They had always felt "different" from their friends because they did not have a dad. The Cove helped them to see that they were not weird or alone. The activities my children participate in, at The Cove, allow them to express their feelings about their father's death. We have developed great freindships with the other families and I feel happy that my children have a place that can support them through their grief. We LOVE The Cove and the good work they do for so many families.

The Cove’s mission is unique. They are providing 5 star programming to a population that is awfully overlooked. My experience as a volunteer has been incredibly rewarding. The Cove is efficient and understands the unique needs of each child it serves. It is a place where families experience a profoundly positive experience. I look forward to continue to volunteer with The Cove. Great mission. Great people. Profound impact.

My husband died in 2008 when our children were 9 and 7. The Cove became our home away from home two Sunday evenings each month> the children were surrounded by caring volunteers and insightful, understanding peers. As a new widow I was able to connect with and learn from a peer group of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles and foster parents of other children experiencing grief in all its stages. Through crafts, games, and shared meals, we drew strength from one another as we created new lives from loss. Even a field trip to a funeral home became a positive experience.On a Sunday evening in November, we celebrated Thanksgiving with photos of our loved ones and favorite dishes. Even when the kids just played basketball together or sat side by side drawing there was comfort in knowing of our shared past experiences. The environment that the volunteers and facilitators helped to create was one of warmth and caring.

The Cove is a wonderful resource to grieving families in Connecticut. It provides an atmosphere of trust and lets children and teens find comfort. I am proud to be a part of the Cove Center for Grieving Children.

My daughter is 13 and her dad died after a Debilitating illness, 5 years ago. When the Cove set up a program in our area 2 years ago, we were happy to join and try it out. The program has been amazing...it's a "safe" place where the kids all have a loss and grief in common. They can express themselves freely without fear of being again the "different" one. They learn about ways to honor the memory of their missing loved one while moving on with their own lives. The volunteers are all so energetic and caring, they really enjoy helping others.. There is such a need for this service in the community and these kids-and us parents- benefit so much by having this support group.