Bereavement Resources

Pregnancy Loss, Still Birth, Infant Death

For those grieving a pregnancy loss, still birth, death of an infant due to prematurity or SIDS, we encourage you to consider joining the Perinatal Loss Group at Full Circle Grief Center

Talking to Your Child About Death

Talking to your child about death can be a challenge, and doing it successfully largely depends on a child’s age and developmental level.  The following are various books and resources that may help you to discuss this difficult subject in a way that makes sense to them.

The Fall of Freddie the Leaf: A Story of Life for All Ages by Leo Buscaglia “is a warm, wonderfully wise and strikingly simple story about a leaf named Freddie. How Freddie and his companion leaves change with the passing seasons, finally falling to the ground with winter’s snow, is an inspiring allegory illustrating the delicate balance between life and death.

Talking About Death: A Dialogue Between Parent & Child by Earl A. Grollman.  A workbook to give parents their own path, to better understand how children see death and how to talk about death in an age-appropriate manner.

Waterbugs & Dragonflies: Explaining Death to Young Children by Doris Stickney “is a graceful fable written by Doris Stickney who sought a meaningful way to explain to neighborhood children the death of a five-year-old friend.”

Everett Anderson’s Goodbye by Lucille Clifton “is a touching portrait of a little boy who is trying to come to grips with his father’s death. Lucille Clifton captures Everett’s conflicting emotions as he confronts this painful reality. We see him struggle through many stages, from denial and anger to depression and, finally, acceptance.”

Below are additional bereavement resources:

Comfort Zone Camp is a non-profit organization that provides therapeutic programs for children 7-17 who have experienced the loss of a parent, guardian or sibling.

Full Circle Grief Center offers children 3-18 and family groups, adult and children perinatal loss groups, suicide loss groups and children’s homicide loss group.

Noah’s Children Pediatric Palliative Care and Hospice Program:  Grief and bereavement support for the loss of a child. 804-287-7686

MISS Foundation offers on-line and local monthly groups for mothers and fathers after the loss of a child. 1-888-455-MISS (6477)

Compassionate Friends offers help for bereaved parents by bereaved parents.  1-877-969-0010

Bon Secours Bereavement Center offers workshops and support groups for spouses/partners, siblings, and parent loss.

General bereavement resources:

Richmond Hill (www.richmondhillva.org)

Crater Community Hospice (www.cratercommunityhospice.org)

Encompass Hospice (804-726-2855)

Eunice’s Circle of Friends (www.eunicescircleoffriends.com)

Young Widow/ers (www.ywow.org)

Grief Share (www.griefshare.org)

Meet Up for widows/widowers age 50+

Sisters of Hope (www.sistersofhope-richmond.com)

Survivors of Suicide (www.survivorsofsuicide.com)

Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors offers support for military related deaths.