|
At the Centre for Grief and Healing, we are reminded every day that grief touches so many lives, often in quiet and unseen ways. Behind every call, intake, and group registration is a person carrying pain, love, and loss. It is a privilege to be trusted in those moments, and it is because of this community that we are able to continue showing up with compassion, care, and support.
The need for grief support continues to grow, and our numbers this year reflect that clearly. From January to April 2026, we received 227 intakes, compared to 157 during the same period last year. We facilitated 330 one-to-one support sessions, up from 225, and group participation increased from 375 to 459. Behind each of these numbers is a person reaching for connection, care, and support.
To help meet this growing need, we are also excited to welcome new members to our team. We are thrilled to have Makayla join us as our Peer Support Worker, Jessica as our Outreach and Marketing Specialist, and Tejal as our Project Manager. Each of them brings valuable skills, compassion, and energy to this work, and we are so happy to have them as part of the Centre for Grief and Healing.
As this need continues to grow, so does the importance of community support. Walk to Remember is one of the most meaningful ways we come together each year to honour loved ones and raise funds to sustain our grief supports. For me personally, this walk holds deep meaning. I walk in memory of my dear friend Mamta, my Nonna Angela, and my Zio Al. Like so many others in our community, I carry the names and stories of people I love with me. Walk to Remember creates space for all of us to do that together.
The funds raised through Walk to Remember directly support the programs and services that so many in our community rely on. A gift of $294 can fund 8 individual support sessions. A donation of $2,115 can support a 6-week closed grief support group. A gift of $3,290 can help launch a new 8-week closed grief support group. Every dollar helps ensure that people navigating grief can access support that is compassionate, accessible, and free of charge.
As we look ahead, we remain committed to growing in ways that meet the needs of our community with care, responsiveness, and heart. Thank you for continuing to walk alongside us through your support, your participation, your generosity, and your presence. We could not do this work without you.
With gratitude,
Julia Duz
Executive Director
Centre for Grief and Healing
| |
Meet the Team
As we continue to welcome new faces into our community, we wanted to take a moment to say hello and welcome you to the Centre for Grief and Healing (BFO-H/P). Our team supports community members in many different ways, both directly and behind the scenes — through support services, outreach, workshops, program development, administration, and ongoing efforts that help keep our programs accessible and sustainable. We are also deeply grateful for the care and dedication of our volunteers and student team members, whose contributions help make this work possible. Click the button to meet our staff team and learn more about the people supporting our community.
| | |
Behind the Scenes: Supporting Connection and Coordination
Since joining the Centre for Grief and Healing this spring, Tejal has been getting to know our internal processes while supporting the team in ways that help strengthen connection and collaboration across the organization. In recent weeks, this has included supporting grant tracking processes and participating in conversations about tools that can help improve communication, coordination, and organization across programs and initiatives.
As part of this work, our team recently began implementing Asana as a project management platform to help create more streamlined and collaborative ways of working behind the scenes. Moving forward, Tejal will continue supporting the implementation process while helping strengthen internal coordination and the ongoing work that supports our community and programs.
| |
Support Updates
From January through the end of May, we’ve welcomed more than 282 new community members to the Centre for Grief and Healing (BFO-H/P), facilitated over 420 one-to-one support sessions, and hosted more than 90 support groups with over 500 total visits.
As we continue growing our programs and support offerings, we’re also excited to share that this year we will be offering workshops and support spaces for Black, Indigenous, and racialized community members across Peel and Halton, as well as workshops for 2SLGBTQIA+ community members (during Pride Month), Indigenous community members, youth ages 18–24, and more.
Stay connected through our email updates and communications, or visit our website to learn more about upcoming programs, workshops, and support opportunities.
|
|
Summer Support Offerings
This summer, the Centre for Grief and Healing (BFO-H/P) will continue offering a variety of support spaces and workshops for community members ages 18+. Our weekly open virtual support groups will continue throughout the summer (excluding statutory holidays), including Friends & Family Loss on Tuesdays, Parent & Guardian Loss on Wednesdays, and Partner Loss on Thursdays, all taking place from 6:30–8:00 PM via Zoom.
We will also be offering an 8-week Traumatic Loss Grief Support Group on Wednesdays from 6:30–8:00 PM via Zoom, beginning June 17 and running until August 12 (please note there will be no group on July 1). Community members are welcome to join at any point in the series based on what feels supportive and accessible for them. Topics can be found by visiting the button link below or by emailing us at info@bereavedfamilies.ca.
During Pride Month, we are excited to offer a 4-week in-person workshop series for 2SLGBTQIA+ community members ages 18+ beginning Tuesday, June 9. This educational and hands-on series is designed to support connection, expression, and community-building through grief-informed and creative activities. The programming was developed and reviewed in collaboration with members of 2SLGBTQIA+ communities and will be facilitated by two community members. Throughout the series, participants will have opportunities to engage in somatic stations, zine-making, poetry and reflective writing, quilting, and Kiki Ballroom-inspired community activities. Participants may choose to contribute to a communal quilt piece that will be displayed in our Centre or create something to take home with them.
These workshops are intended to create affirming spaces where 2SLGBTQIA+ community members can connect with one another while exploring grief, identity, expression, and healing in meaningful and creative ways. Come for what works for you. More information about all summer offerings can be found by visiting the button link below.
|
| | |
GriefTalks Webinars
GriefTalks are free, 1-hour Zoom webinars exploring grief, loss, identity, mental health, and wellness. They provide a compassionate space for learning, reflection, and connection, highlighting how grief manifests differently across communities and contexts. Each session features a unique topic and speaker, offering tools, perspectives, and insights to support both individuals and professionals in navigating grief.
Learn More
| |
Forgiving Yourself in the Midst of Grief
Presented by: Grace Duong
After loss, grief can feel overwhelming and may leave us caught in cycles of self-blame or isolation. In this talk, Grace explores these patterns and offers reflections and mindfulness practices to support compassion, forgiveness, and moving through grief with less burden.
Monday, June 8 | 7:00–8:00 p.m. | Zoom
| |  |
Navigating Father’s Day Through Grief, Memory, and Love
Presented by: Sasha Howell
Father’s Day can bring many different emotions for those grieving a father or father figure. In this reflective GriefTalks session, Sasha Howell explores grief, memory, healing, and the complexities of father-child relationships through storytelling, grounding practices, and open conversation.
Friday, June 19 | 7:00–8:00 p.m. | Zoom
| | |
Yoga for a Cause
Join us for another Yoga For A Cause fundraiser in support of the Centre for Grief and Healing. This special community class offers an opportunity to slow down, reconnect, and support accessible grief peer support programs in Halton-Peel.
The 60-minute WARM Deep Flow class will take place on Saturday, June 6, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. at Power Yoga Canada Mississauga (Lakeshore). Led by Chiara Falcao, this all-levels class will move at a slower, flowing pace with longer holds, a longer floor series, and an emphasis on hip-opening poses to help release built-up tension and stress.
New yogis are welcome. Participants are encouraged to bring their own yoga mat, and mat rentals will be available at the studio if needed. Tickets are $30 per person, including the service fee. Please arrive 15–20 minutes early to check in and get settled.
| | If you have any questions about Yoga For A Cause, please email our Fundraising Manager. | |
Walk to Remember | September 19th
Walk to Remember 2026 is officially underway! At the time of writing, we have raised $100 toward our $40,000 goal, with 4 teams and 6 participants already signed up.
Walk to Remember is a family-friendly community fundraiser in support of the Centre for Grief and Healing, taking place on Saturday, September 19 at Lakeside Park in Mississauga. This special event brings together individuals, teams, and supporters to honour loved ones who have died while raising funds for free grief support in our community.
| |
2025 Walk to Remember
Photo taken by A. Yates Photography
| | |
By creating or joining a fundraising page, participants help ensure that children, youth, adults, and older adults grieving a death can access compassionate, no-cost support. Funds raised help sustain services such as one-to-one peer support, grief peer support groups, workshops, and other community-based programs that reduce isolation and create opportunities for connection and healing.
Community members can participate as individual fundraisers or as part of a team, share their page with friends, colleagues, and loved ones, and invite others to give in memory of someone special or in support of accessible grief care. Event-day participation details, including in-person attendance and lunch information, will be confirmed separately in the weeks leading up to the event.
| If you have any questions about Walk to Remember, please email our Fundraising Manager at fundraising@bereavedfamilies.ca. | | | | |
A Message to Our Volunteers
To all of our volunteers — thank you.
The care, compassion, and presence you continue to bring to the Centre for Grief & Healing has a meaningful impact on our community every day. Whether facilitating groups, supporting clients one-to-one, helping at events, or supporting behind the scenes, your time and dedication help create spaces where people feel heard, supported, and less alone in their grief.
We are deeply grateful for everything you continue to bring to this work and community.
| | Growing Our Volunteer Community | |
We continue to welcome new volunteers into our grief support programs. We are currently recruiting for the following volunteer roles:
Peer Support Group Facilitators:
Co-facilitate virtual and/or in-person grief peer support groups, with a current focus on expanding support for our Wednesday Parent & Guardian Loss and Thursday Partner Loss groups. Volunteers are asked to support a minimum of two groups per month.
Walk to Remember Event Volunteers (In-Person):
We are currently seeking volunteers to support our upcoming Walk to Remember on September 19 in Mississauga. Volunteers will help welcome participants, support event activities, assist along the walk route, and help create a warm and supportive experience for the community.
| | Seeking Black, Indigenous, and Racialized Workshop Facilitators | |
The Centre for Grief & Healing is seeking 3 Black, Indigenous, and/or racialized facilitators (ages 18+) in the Halton region to lead in-person community workshops between July and August 2026.
We welcome workshops focused on creative expression, storytelling, spoken word, poetry, wellness, and community connection. Facilitators will have the opportunity to share their work while supporting meaningful community engagement.
If you are interested in volunteering and would like to learn about the opportunities available, please reach out to Selena (she/her), Volunteer Manager, at volunteering@bereavedfamilies.ca.
| | |
Community Outreach, Events, Fairs, and More
Over the past two months, our team has been actively building new partnership opportunities and strengthening outreach connections across the community. These conversations and collaborations have focused on expanding awareness of our programs, deepening community relationships, and identifying meaningful ways to support grieving individuals across Halton and Peel.
As we move into the summer months, we are excited to continue growing these connections following the support of the Halton Region Community Investment Fund and the Ontario Trillium Foundation Seed Grant.
| |
Fairs and Events
This spring, we participated in two community mental health and wellness fairs through the CARE Program. These events were a meaningful opportunity for our team to connect with community members, share grief support resources, and continue building relationships with local organizations and service providers across the region.
The Centre also attended the TMU School of Medicine's Volunteer Appreciation Event, which created meaningful opportunities to connect with community leaders and organizations across the GTA. New connections were established with representatives from Brampton Crematorium and Visitation Centre, Smile Canada, Wellspring Cancer Support, and additional community partners for future collaboration and outreach.
Partnerships
We are proud to be participating in the upcoming Peer to Pier Men’s Mental Health Awareness Walk on June 7 at the Burlington Pier, hosted by Capillary Wave Community. Our team will be attending the event to share grief support resources, connect with community members, and support conversations around men’s mental health and wellness.
| |
We have also focused on strengthening connections with BIPOC-serving and 2SLGBTQIA+ community organizations. Partnership outreach and relationship-building conversations have taken place with organizations including Moyo Health & Community Services, Halton Black Voices, Roots Community Services, Punjabi Community Health Services (PCHS), the Canadian Caribbean Association of Halton (CCAH), Rainbow Sauga Alliance, and PFLAG Peel Region.
These conversations have focused on exploring collaborative opportunities related to grief support programming, wellness workshops, culturally-responsive care, and community engagement initiatives connected to the Ontario Trillium Foundation's Seed Grant.
| | Thank You to Our Funders and Supporters | |
Feedback, Comments, Suggestions
Comments, concerns, feedback, and compliments can always be forwarded to Victoria (she/her) at programs@bereavedfamilies.ca. Anonymous feedback can be submitted to us at www.bereavedfamilies.ca/contactus.
Partnership opportunities, event support inquiries, and donation inquiries can be forwarded to Kelly (she/her) and Julia (she/her) at fundraising@bereavedfamilies.ca and executivedirector@bereavedfamilies.ca.
Looking to volunteer? Please contact Selena (she/her) at volunteering@bereavedfamilies.ca with your interest.
All other inquiries (intakes, group registrations, getting set up with us) can be forwarded to info@bereavedfamilies.ca.
| | | | |
