Year-round Support
Grieving Children Grieving children often feel very isolated
because they rarely know anyone their age who has experienced the death
of a family member. And their parents - their primary source of emotional
support - are grieving the same death. Children see their parents sad
or crying and fear that, by sharing their own pain with them, they will
make their parents even more sad. Many children become protective of their
parents and keep their feelings to themselves. It is critical to a child's
well-being that there is someone with whom the child can share the pain
and sadness without worrying about needing to protect that individual from
their pain. If grieving children can find other children their own age
who have had a similar experience, they can validate each other's feelings
and lessen their sense of isolation. They can help heal each other.
Camp Amanda - Children/Teens Weekend camps throughout the year exclusively for children
and teens ages 6-17 grieving the death of a family member through accident,
illness, suicide or homicide. Each year 150-200 new children and teens attend
camp.
Camp Amanda - Adults Weekend camps throughout the year for adults grieving
the death of a spouse, child or parent through accident, illness, suicide
or homicide. Each year approximately 100 new adults attend camp.
Support Groups Support groups are held in fall, winter and spring for bereaved
children, teens and adults at Amanda the Panda's offices. Each group meets
independently for eight weeks for an hour and a half each week. To register,
call Amanda the Panda offices at (515) 223-HUGS (4847) or
register on-line.
Fun Days Special days set aside during the year for grieving children and families
to have fun, laugh and play again without feeling guilty or disrespectful
to the memory of the person who died. Fun is a top priority. Activities
include waterslide/pizza parties, picnics, hayrides, skating and holiday
parties, etc. Approximately 300 children and families attend these events annually.
Birthday and Anniversary Remembrances Campers are supported with cards and other remembrances on their birthdays
and on the anniversary of the death of the special person in their lives.
Holiday Cheer Boxes Camp Amanda families who are facing their first Christmas following a death
receive a special Holiday Cheer Box from Amanda the Panda. Each box contains 25
individually gift-wrapped items with a sticker on each one saying: "Open Me,
December 1, Open Me, December 2", etc. for 25 days beginning December 1st
through December 25th. Each day a different member of the family will open that
day's gift. A Cheer Box acknowledges a family's grief and lets them know that
they are being remembered at a difficult time. Each year, over 5,000 gifts are
wrapped, boxed and sent to grieving Iowa families.
|