Originally published in our 2023 Gratitude Report
In 2022, we conducted a Community Grief Support Needs Assessment. One of the key findings was that there was a lack of community grief support services in Spanish. As a result, thanks to generous donors like you, in 2023 we hired a new staff member to expand and facilitate our Spanish-language grief support services.
About Our Spanish- Language Grief Support Services
One of the fundamental aspects of our hospice program is offering grief support for families following the passing of their loved ones. Moreover, our strong commitment extends to providing these services to all members of our community.
In late 2023, we adapted our eight-week Learning to Live with Loss support group and began offering culturally sensitive support for those in our Spanish-speaking community. The majority of those attending have lost a parent, but a growing number are grieving the loss of a child. The group started with four people, and within a few months quickly grew to serve 17 people—clearly demonstrating this great need.
Providing Comfort & Healing
According to group facilitator Yessenia Mendez, “The group has been an amazing support. It gives
the clients hope to live without their loved ones. They have built a community with each other
and now have a foundation where they can go for support even after the group is over.”
Adapting to Meet Community Needs
Across our organization, our teams work hard to meet our clients in individual ways, which includes
adapting our communications and materials for varying levels of computer skills, email access, and
literacy. Recent participants have expressed their gratitude that we provide materials to them in their
spoken language and in a paper format. This helps us address their needs and offer them resources
they can truly use.
Looking Ahead
Our team is currently developing plans to expand and offer more Spanish-language grief support groups. These include specific groups for those grieving the loss of parent or other adult versus the loss of a child. The team also aims to launch a new program to provide age-specific grief support for children in both English and Spanish in 2025.