“I realized that I was not alone.” Nicholas, age 13
SandCastles Grief Support Program, established in 1997 by Henry Ford Hospice, focuses on the belief that every child and teen deserves the opportunity to grieve in a supportive, nurturing environment. Grieving youth ages 3 to 18 are offered a safe place where they can interact with peers who have experienced similar losses, learn life-long coping skills, and most importantly begin a healthy healing process. Participants learn how to identify and express their feelings and in doing so, empower one another. Peer support groups help children and teens understand that they are not alone in their grief. This normalizes their feelings, and experiences which provides validation, to help with the healing process.
Families come together with staff and facilitators for dinner and then break out into individual age groups. While the youth are engaged in their groups, adults attend their own group session, which gives them an opportunity to learn about children's grief, as well as share their own experiences.
Meetings are held at eight locations throughout the metro Detroit area: Detroit,
Clinton Township, Livonia, Rochester, St. Clair Shores, Southfield, Downriver and West Bloomfield. On average, SandCastles serves about 450 participants at any given time.
Program Details/Enrollment Process:
- SandCastles serves children and teens from ages 3 to 18 and their families.
- There is no charge for families to attend.
- To join program or attend camp, the parent or legal guardian must initiate the contact with our office to request a phone intake with one of our clinical coordinators. Please call 313-874-6881 to learn more.
- We run eight program sites throughout the Metro Detroit area. All sites meet in the evening, from 6:15pm-8:00pm. Following a light dinner, children break off into age groups. Adults have a group meeting at the same time.
- Monday locations: Clinton Township and Detroit
- Tuesday locations: Downriver and Southfield
- Wednesday locations: Rochester
- Thursday locations: Livonia, St. Clair Shores and West Bloomfield