The Dougy Center The National Center for Grieving Children & Families Photo by Brittney McChristy 2010 Report to the Community 2010 by the numbers: 18, 418 Number of hours contributed by more than 200 volunteer group facilitators 12,163 Number of books and other resources sold through The Dougy Center’s online bookstore 2,736 Number of people who attended a Dougy Center training to learn how to support grieving children and families 667 Number of children, teens and young adults served in bi-weekly support groups 458 Number of children and their families who were introduced to The Dougy Center at our Family Orientation sessions 428 Number of parents or adult caregivers served in bi-weekly support groups 51 Number of support groups that meet every two weeks in Portland, Hillsboro and Canby 37 Number of news stories around the country that cited The Dougy Center The mission of From the Director The Dougy Center All of us at The Dougy Center—our families, staff and is to provide support in a safe place volunteers—are grateful for the support of the community where children, teens, young adults following the fire that destroyed our facility. We’ve had our and their families grieving a death plates full and our responsibilities stretched, but our many can share their experiences. friends buoyed us in our time of grief and sadness. We’re Through our National Center excited and relieved to be discovering new strength and energy as we envision how the next for Grieving Children & chapter of The Dougy Center can serve even more children, teens, young adults and parents Families, we provide support and grieving the death of a family member. training locally, nationally and internationally to individuals and The kids at The Dougy Center remind us daily of the importance of play. Psychiatrist Stuart organizations seeking to assist Brown states that “play allows us to develop alternatives to violence and despair; it helps grieving children. us learn perseverance and gain optimism.” We appreciate how children make sense of their world, even the hard parts, through play. Thanks for helping them, and us, regain a sense of The Dougy Center Staff joy and optimism. Kassie Boehringer Communications Coordinator Sincerely, Jana DeCristofaro, L.C.S.W. Coordinator of Childrens’ Grief Services Marcia Director, CFRE Donna Schuurman, Ed.D, FT Chief Development Officer Executive Director Liisa Heard, M.S.W. Group Coordinator Rebecca Hobbs-Lawrence, M.A. Associate Director of Program Kathleen Macdonald, M.A., N.C.C. 2010 Financial Report* Family Services Coordinator Support & Revenue Sources: Heidi Papoff Individual Contributions $426,085 Development Assistant Foundation Contributions 274,552 Kathleen Raftery Administrative Assistant Corporate Contributions 51,738 Cheryl Roberts Victims of Crime Act Grant 20,875 Program Assistant Gifts In Kind 73,078 Donna Schuurman, Ed.D, FT Special Events (Net) 454,961 Executive Director Training & Bookstore (Net) 104,629 Joan Schweizer Hoff, M.A. Other Income 21,975 Program Director Jami Stephens, M.A., N.C.C., C.T. Total Support & Revenue $1,427,894 Group Coordinator Melinda Storch, M.B.A., M.A. Expenses: Director of Finance & Operations Program Services $806,401 Brennan Wood Management & General 236,258 Director of Development & Communications Fundraising 164,366 Total Expenses $1,207, 025 Contact Information The Dougy Center Net Operating Revenue $220,869 P.O. Box 86852 Portland, Oregon 97286 Net Investment Return 86,017 info 503.775.5683 Fire Insurance Settlement (Net) 938,658 fax 503.777.3097 Total Increase in Net Assets $1,245,544 web www.dougy.org email [email protected] * For the Fiscal Year ending June 30, 2010 Beverly Chappell Independent audit by Hoffman, Stewart & Schmidt, P.C. Founder www.dougy.org page 3 Playtime: The importance of play for grieving children Children at The Dougy “We believe that children Center use play as a way are resilient and have the to help with their grief. capacity to heal,” said Joan. “They know—sometimes When five-year-old Molly subconsciously—what they started at The Dougy need to do. It is important Center, she was struggling to for us to provide choices and understand her mother’s death activities that help them deal from cancer. Molly knew that with the particular issues they doctors fix people and make are having.” them well. So why couldn’t her Play can take many forms. At mom’s doctor make the cancer The Dougy Center, children go away? can play with toys, dress up, Photo by Brittney McChristy Molly spent the first few go to the high-energy Volcano months at The Dougy Center room (a padded room with soft playing hospital. She was the toys), and create art and music. doctor and the dolls were her The Dougy Center has a large patients. Week after week, collection of “traditional” Molly would save the dolls toys, but also some not so from their ailments. But one traditional options, including day, she pulled a blanket over toy grave markers and coffins one doll’s head and said, “I’m for sand table play. sorry you died. I just couldn’t “Many children are working help you.” Molly then moved to understand the concept of on to play something else. death, burial and funerals,” Play is an important element said Joan. “We provide them in The Dougy Center’s support with toys and tools to help.” model. “Young children don’t Through a partnership with the always have the experience or Children’s Cancer Association, the words to say what they’re The Dougy Center has two feeling—especially in difficult facilitators who work with situations,” explained Joan children specifically through Schweizer Hoff, The Dougy music. Music can be an Center’s Program Director. outlet for a wide range of “Play is their normal way of emotions, and can also help making sense of what has trigger memories. Photo by Brittney McChristy happened to them and to their world.” “One Dougy Center participant was just five when Children also use play as a children, there are plans for the For Molly, playing doctor was her mom died and has no way to express uncomfortable new building to incorporate her way of working through concrete memories of her,” feelings and thoughts. “Many even more play area activities, her questions about her said Joan. “She asked the times, kids will say things including a hospital room. If mother’s death. Eventually music facilitator to play songs through a puppet or doll that you would like to donate toys she was able to connect and her mom use to sing—and it they couldn’t say on their to The Dougy Center, visit our understand the concept that helped her to remember and own,” said Joan. wish list on the donation page doctors could not fix her mom, feel closer to her mom.” at www.dougy.org. and she turned to other kinds Because toys and play are of play. critical to helping grieving page 4 www.dougy.org Thank you Because The Dougy Center � � Bill Skorohodov, owner of does not charge families a fee Empowered Hands, recently for its programs, we greatly built a wheelchair ramp for appreciate your generous gifts The Dougy Center’s temporary of time, money, and goods and program site in Northeast services throughout the year. Portland. You will find a list of donors on � � � A $15,000 grant from the pages 8 to 11, as well as on PGE Foundation is funding a The Dougy Center’s website, new support group for young www.dougy.org. adults. The Dougy Center Here are a few recent gifts... began offering young adult groups in 2008, and now have Photo by Brittney McChristy � � Through a generous gift more than 50 participants. from the estate of Erwin Ashenbrenner, The Dougy � � Since 1994, William and Center established the Erwin Nancy Blount have generously The Dougy Center congratulates Sarah Schreiter, Dougy Center Ashenbrenner Child Sponsorship sponsored 24 children in teen participant, volunteer and advocate, on being selected as the Fund. The fund will sponsor The Dougy Center’s grief 2011 Lincoln High School Rose Festival Court Princess. Sarah one child at The Dougy Center support program. spoke about her experience at The Dougy Center and the impact of each year into perpetuity. her father’s death during her speech. Building update The Dougy Center is moving forward in its efforts to rebuild its Portland center, which was destroyed in an arson fire in 2009. Scott | Edwards Architecture is working on the preliminary drawings for the new home, based on feedback from Photo by Brittney McChristy families, volunteers, staff and community members. The new building will have separate areas for “Littles” (three to five year olds), six to 11 year olds, and teens, as well as new play areas. More information on the rebuilding process will The new Dougy Center will be built on the same location as the old building (pictured above), which be available in the served as The Dougy Center’s home for 22 years. coming months. www.dougy.org page 5 Dougy Center alumni reunite for CONNECT The new group brings “Looking back on my own CONNECT. “My life together young experience with The Dougy was forever shaped by the Alumni adults—former Dougy Center as a child, and also now opportunity to come to The Association Center participants— as a member of the staff, I have Dougy Center after my mom seen how much The Dougy died. There are many of us who Founding for special projects Center has helped grieving want to stay connected, and to Members to support grieving families,” said Brennan say ‘thank you’ for all that The to date children and families.