Behind every grief support group is a lot of preparation.
There are materials to gather, activities to create, supplies to sort, and countless small details that help make a space feel safe and welcoming for a child who is grieving.
This back-to-school season, Bridges of Hope was grateful to welcome the Dorchester District Two social work team, led by Al-Nisa Riley, LISW, Social Work Coordinator, for a day of hands-on service, connection, and collaboration. And what a difference they made!
Bridges of Hope provides grief support to students through Sand Dollar Clubs, our school-based grief support groups. This school year, we are preparing to run nearly 100 groups across 65 schools, reaching approximately 400 grieving students.
That work doesn’t happen alone.
Turning Supplies Into Support
The DD2 social workers spent the day behind the scenes helping us prepare the materials that will soon make their way into grief support groups throughout the community.
Together, we:
- Cut felt to create memory pillows
- Cut paper to make coping skills bingo cards
- Sorted markers
- Refilled glue bottles
- Organized supplies that will help facilitators be ready when students walk through the door
- And so much more!
On the surface, these might sound like simple tasks.
But to a grieving child, that memory pillow can become something they hold onto when they miss someone they love. A coping skills bingo card can help a student discover a strategy that makes a hard moment feel a little more manageable. Having the right supplies ready means a facilitator can spend less time worrying about materials and more time listening to a child.
Every piece of preparation is part of creating a space where kids can feel safe, supported, and heard.
More Social Workers Means More Support for Students
This partnership is especially meaningful as Dorchester District Two has increased its allocation for social workers.
More social workers means more opportunities for students to receive support where they already spend their days: at school.
Mrs. Riley leads the DD2 social work team, and her leadership has been an important part of strengthening the partnership between DD2 and Bridges of Hope. DD2 social workers facilitate many of our grief groups themselves—sometimes even supporting students at more than one school.
Their commitment makes it possible for more grieving students to have access to consistent, caring support.
For Bridges of Hope, this is what partnership looks like: working alongside the people who know their schools and students best and equipping them with the tools, resources, and support they need to help grieving students.
Preparing the People Who Support Kids
The day wasn’t only about cutting, sorting, and organizing.
It was also an opportunity to share ideas and build relationships.
Our Program Coordinator, Claire, shared more about Shannon’s Hope Camp and talked about ways we can help students become engaged with Bridges of Hope beyond the classroom. Grief support doesn’t have to stop when a group ends, and we want students and families to know about the many ways they can stay connected.
Miracle, our School Services Coordinator, shared ideas for helping new social workers feel prepared to facilitate school-based grief groups. Starting a grief group can
feel like a big responsibility, and having someone to walk alongside you makes all the difference.
Our Program Director, Lauren, also had the opportunity to sit down with DD2 social workers to talk about the needs they are seeing in their schools and how Bridges of Hope can continue to partner with them.
Those conversations are incredibly valuable. They help us understand what students and school staff need—and how we can continue adapting our support to meet them.
It Takes a Community
We were also joined by interns and an alumni parent who brought their own time, experience, and perspective to the day.
Having so many people in one room, all working toward the same goal, was a powerful reminder that supporting grieving children truly takes a community.
From the social worker who facilitates a group each week, to the intern sorting supplies, to the parent who knows firsthand what it means to walk through grief with a child, every person plays a part.
And behind all of it is a simple goal:
To make sure that when a grieving student walks into a Sand Dollar Club, they know they are not alone.
We are incredibly grateful to the entire DD2 social work team for showing up—not just for this day of preparation, but for the students they serve every day.
Their increased investment in school social work means more children can have access to caring adults and meaningful support. And our partnership means we can work together to make that support even stronger.
Thank you, DD2, for spending the day with us, for believing in grieving students, and for helping us get ready to support 400 students this school year.
This day was amazing—and we can’t wait to see the impact of all that preparation when those supplies land in the hands of the kids who need them most.
