Throughout this spring, Jessica Weeden, Director of Family Support Services for Helios Care, will present to local school districts and student groups on how to support grieving children in our community. Weeden will facilitate discussions on how schools can support children through the various phases of grief, and what services Helios Care provides to children and their families through Camp Forget-Me-Not, coping kits for families, and books and guidance information for the schools.
This outreach program is partially funded by a grant from Corning Incorporated’s Community impact & Investment Organization. Helios Care received a $2,000 grant this past fall from CI&I to connect with school districts to provide information about Helios Care services that are available to grieving children and an opportunity to integrate grief education and emotional support into our local schools.
Established in December 2023, Community Impact & Investment (CI&I) centralizes Corning’s philanthropic contributions to the community under one single organization for greater synergy, and maximizes impact in the areas that align closely with their values and business objectives. CI&I acts as a trusted resources to nurture vibrant, equitable communities through thought leadership, philanthropic support, and long-term partnerships.
This funding is crucial to an ongoing outreach program by Helios Care to educational organizations to help navigate grief issues for their students.
Also, in November, Jessica presented to the Delaware County Counselors Association meeting that included 15 counselors representing Otsego and Delaware Counties, providing education on ways to support grieving children in their schools, and ways that Helios Care can assist. Topics included how children experience grief when witnessing the decline and death of family members, the impact of losing a primary caregiver and how grief reactions change over time for children as they age. Helios Care provided 15 packages for counselors; books, educational materials, and pamphlets for Helios Care Coping Kits and Camp Forget Me Not. These outreach programs to schools help to keep children more connected to the resources that are available to them throughout their lives.
Click here to learn more about Camp Forget-Me-Not and Corning Incorporated’s Community Impact and Investment Organization
