Children’s Grief Center 2020 Annual Report 2019-20 Annual Report “Heartfelt News” 2 Message from the President 3 Our Vision & Our Mission 4 Financials 5 Our Volunteers 6 Program Donors 8 In Honor Of & In Memory Of 9 Our Future – The Center for Hope and Healing 10 Capital Campaign Donors 2019-2020 10 Statistics of CGC Services Jennifer & Daniel “Daniel had seen him Christmas day – and we didn’t know that was going to be the last time we saw him.” Jennifer said. “Weeks after someone passes away, everybody’s there. Everybody’s at your door asking if you need food, asking what they can do for you. But after the couple weeks, every- body goes on with their life. But me and Daniel were left with that – this was our life without J.J. We were alone. I needed to do something.” Jennifer had referred grieving families to the Children’s Grief Center before and knew it was a trusted resource they could rely on. “I called the Grief Center and explained our situation. Daniel didn’t want to go.” “I really didn’t wanna talk about my dad,” Daniel remembered. “It felt shocking and I didn’t believe it.” After attending an orientation and seeing other kids like himself, Daniel grew more comfortable with the idea. “When I went to the Children’s Grief Center it felt like someone understood me and it felt really comforting.” Today, Jennifer and Daniel are doing well and keeping J.J. close at heart. “Always remember the good times and always stay strong. I think the CGC really helps. It makes you stronger as a person and it makes you closer with people,” Daniel explains. “Opening myself up to everybody that was there really helped me to find myself and to be able to help others through my grief. It saved us in the midst of chaos. It gave us a new journey and path to go down.” Message from the President of the Board of Directors The Board of Directors sends a heartfelt “thank you” to all of you who help us do what we do – to staff, volunteers and donors – all of you play an essential role in helping grieving children and their families across New Mexico. The high incidence of children and young adults in New Mexico who lose a parent or sibling hasn’t changed this year. The Children’s Grief Center of New Mexico is needed more than ever. The Board has worked very hard this year. In the fall of 2019, The Children’s Grief Center joined forces with the Grief Resource Center with an eye toward expanding the scope of our services. As a result of this merger, we are happy to say that the Grief Center now provides bereavement services to all ages. We are delighted to announce that renovation of our building on Carlisle NE is underway! This is the result of the tireless efforts on the part of too many people to name. The new facility will truly be a haven for hope and healing. You may be wondering how the Grief Center has responded to the challenges of 2020. I am pleased to report that the Grief Center has responded and adjusted to our new normal. For example: 1. Group sessions are being conducted virtually. 2. Camp Corazon took place virtually in October with kids from all over New Mexico participating. 3. Music Under the Stars took place in September with nearly 5,000 people participating virtually. 4. The staff has continued to conduct training for counselors, first responders and volunteer facilitators via Zoom. 5. Plans are underway for our Annual Healing Hearts event to take place virtually in February 2021. Thank you again for your continued support. With you, the goals of the Grief Center will be achieved. Greg Chase Greg Chase, Board President 2 Vision Statement: Our vision is that all grieving people will receive compassionate support needed to foster hope for the future. Mission Statement: The Children’s Grief Center and Grief Resource Center’s mission is to provide compas- sionate and safe support, understanding, healing, and hope to the grieving community. The Four Principles • Grief is a natural reaction to loss of a loved one for children as well as adults. • • Within each individual is the natural capacity to heal oneself. • • The duration and intensity of grief are unique for each individual. • • Caring and acceptance help in the healing process. • In 2019, the Board of Directors of the Grief Resource Center approached the Children’s Grief Center seeking a merger of the two organizations. Both organizations were founded to provide free, community-based support to individuals after the death of a loved one. After much discussion and due diligence, both boards voted unanimously to combine services, staff and resources. In October of 2019, the GRC was legally dissolved and operations began to transition to the Children’s Grief Center. Since that time, the world has shifted. We have responded, stronger than ever – serving our clients remotely, meeting with service providers, volunteers and supporters to listen and learn. As we work together to identify gaps in grief services and how to meet them, you can continue to find us as both the Children’s Grief Center (www.childrensgrief.org) and the Grief Resource Center (www. griefnm.org). As we refine our mission and our vision, we will continue to serve grieving children and their caregivers, as well as adults over the age of 25 grieving the death of a loved one. We will expand and grow as a stronger resource to be a light in the darkness of grief to all members of our community, as we honor the legacy of both great organizations and their history of serving those who grieve. • Our talented, committed Board of Directors has significant experience in clinical work, business operations, and leadership, as well as finance and accounting experience, marketing and legal expertise. • Our staff have over 100 years of combined experience as professionals providing bereavement support in both peer to peer and clinical models, as well as non-profit management expertise and are committed to furthering the programs founded by each organization. Our vision is developing, and includes creating the Center for Hope and Healing, which you can learn more about in this report - it will be a special place, where professionals and volunteers can come together to grow stronger at the broken places. 3 2019-20 Annual Operating Revenue & Expense With your support, the Children's Grief Center and the Grief Resource Center never charge grieving families and individuals for support services. Donors like you make these programs possible. Whether joining in our annual Healing Hearts luncheon and silent auction, or our monthly Circle of Hope Giving Club, contributions of cash, securities, or needed supplies are combined with foundation grants, skilled bereavement facilitator volunteer hours, and more to create the annual operating budget for these grief support services. Thank you! 4 The Heart of the CGC Our volunteers help us serve New Mexico’s grieving families. These people help make the CGC a special place for children and their families to find hope and healing. u! Thank Yo 5 Program Donors — July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020 Building A Legacy Robina Sandoval Dr. Joseph A. Gorvetzian $25,000+ Sandia Foundation and Nancy Croker* Anonymous* Dr. Theodore Kostranchuck Bradley Francis Companioning the Journey and Lorian Kostranchuk Grief Resource Center $2,500+ Freedman Boyd Hollander Mountain States Duffy and Jean Ann Swan Goldberg Urias & Ward PA Constructors, Inc. Enterprise Bank and Trust Geissler Insurance & Smith-Pierce Foundation for Gregory and Karen Chase* Financial Services Youth and Education* Hancock Family Foundation Hallmark Building Supplies, Inc. Joseph and Pamela Limke Ingrid Domonkos Securing the Future Lovelace UNM Rehabilitation Jade Richardson Bock $10,000+ Hospital James Baca Albuquerque Community Lyn Jones* James Mills and Peggy Foundation Marjorie Glenn and Ken Sanchez-Mills* Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Falkenberg* Jan Fike* New Mexico Matthews Children’s Janet McHard and Beth Mohr Dr. Adrienne Larkin and Robert Foundation JoAnn Albrecht* Thomson* McHard Accounting John Moore & Associates, Inc. FRENCH Funerals-Cremations Consulting, LLC Karyn Torres-Smith Kevin and Lian Yearout Rotary Del Norte Foundation Kiwanis Club of Corrales Foundation Stephanie and Jeffrey Miller* Kurt Micek Maurice Amado Foundation U.S. Bank Foundation Leonard and Elizabeth Trainor Sandia National Laboratories U.S. Eagle Federal Credit Union Leslie and Edward Atler Sandy Gold* Uncle Phil Maloof Foundation Mark and Patricia Conkling Santa Fe Community Wells Fargo Foundation Matt & Kelly Maes* Foundation* Maureen Cook Southwest Family Guidance Providing Hope and Healing Morgan Stanley Center & Institute $1,000+ Phillip and Joan Bustos Sunset Memorial Park Alan C. Torgerson, LLC Richard Zemke Tom and Leigh Growney* Anne Nokes* Robert Sinkoff TLC² Foundation From Aon Foundation Robin Franks The Heart Armstrong, Roth, Whitley, Rotary Del Sol Foundation, Inc. Johnstone Family Law Ruth Mondlick Sharing Strength and Bert Parnall Ryan Centerwall Susan Jennings Inspiration $5,000+ Carl & Linda Alongi Tom Amtram Dion’s* Charlotte L. Kiser Tom Riccobene Michael Riordan Charitable Trust Trish Porter-Topmiller Nordstrom CliftonLarsonAllen, LLP Walmart Pamela M. Galbraith Memorial Dale and Norma McLaughlin Wanda Franks Foundation* Dave and Loral Welde William Rhodes Rick and Gail Thaler David Daniell Yearout Energy Rio Rancho Community David Stroud Foundation Debora Garrison* Diane Ogawa 6 Contributor $500+ Paul and LaDonna Hopkins Matthew and Elaina Roberts In Honor Of: Association of Leadership Pledgeling Foundation Michael Maccini and Educators Rebecca and Luke Ullrich Barbara Koenig Bradley Otts Robert Coffland and Michaeline Kelley-Boyet Brian Cochran Ellen Moore Nancy Kirkwood Brian Patterson Shari O’Loughlin New York Life Foundation Brian, Aleli and Rafael Colón* Stewart Title of Pat Dee Bruce and Christine Budagher Albuquerque, LLC Paula Tietjen C.