Every morning across the Rogue Valley a significant number of children and teens wake up with an aching sense of loss because someone they love has died. Maybe the family is in turmoil and the children have lost a sense of stability or safety. Perhaps these kids feel like they have no one to talk with about their feelings. These kids and families overwhelmed by loss often can’t believe healing is possible. When the pain gets bad enough, kids may act out in unhealthy ways. And hopefully the adults in their lives, including teachers, take notice and seek help through WinterSpring. By connecting with WinterSpring, kids can develop healthy coping skills that will serve them throughout their lives.

Do the grieving kids in your life complain of pain, have on-going illness, inability to focus or concentrate, sleep disturbances, fearfulness, anxiety, and anger? Do they act out at school and express regressive or antisocial behavior?  See our Teen Grief: what to look for, what to do.

We can help: 541-552-0620.

• CHILDREN’S PROGRAM: Our Children’s Program provides grieving children ages 6 – 12 a safe place to express their feelings through play and art, sharing and listening that promotes healing, understanding peers, and activities to remember and commemorate their loss. This program will start up again the second week in October 2012 and will meet every other Wednesday, 6:30 – 8:00 pm in Medford until June. Children can be added to the program at any time during the school year, depending on enrollment numbers.
• TEEN PROGRAM: Our school-based teen grief groups are offered on-site at middle and high schools in Jackson County. They are facilitated by trained WinterSpring volunteers and school personnel and typically run eight weeks or are ongoing. Groups are coordinated based on the needs of individual schools. We currently have groups at Ashland High School, North Medford High School, and McLoughlin Middle School.  We are in the process of setting up groups at Ashland Middle School, South Medford High School,  and Eagle Point High School.  We also hope to start a group at an offsite location in Phoenix for high schoolers. Call us to find out more:  541-552-0620.

Grief resurfaces in children and teens as they grow and mature. At WinterSpring, we’re prepared to provide support to these kids as they move through their various stages of development. And if they start with us in Children’s Program, they can move into Teen Program once they get into Middle and High School. Our Children’s Program also provides support to families, which in turn creates a circle of support for the wider community. For example, three years ago five moms came to us feeling completely broken; each had lost her husband and was raising her kids alone. Because of their participation in our Children’s Program, they have bonded, forming a cohesive circle of support. They still attend our Children’s Program and each one has been able to move forward and help others. All are able to pay it forward. We hope to continue this good work and expand our reach to teens in Jackson County who desperately need our help.

Thank you to our supporters for our children and teen programs for the 2012-2013 academic year — the Anna May Family Foundation, the Autzen Foundation, PacificSource Healthy Communities, Community 101 at North Medford High School, the Harrington Family Foundation, and community donations.  Please join with these foundations to help support a child or teen this year by your generous donation — click here.

2011-2012 grant support came from — the West Family Foundation, Community 101 at Eagle Point High School. Cow Creek Umpqua Indian Foundation, Lithia Springs Ashland Rotary, Lausmann Foundation, and community donations.