Walk to Remember 2025 | Angle Media Group | |
At the Centre for Grief and Healing, we see every day how powerful it can be for someone who is grieving to find a space where they feel understood. A support group, a one-to-one conversation, or simply the reassurance that they are not alone can make an immeasurable difference during one of the most difficult times in a person’s life.
As the need for grief support continues to grow, so does the cost of ensuring these services remain accessible to everyone who reaches out. Grants help us develop important new initiatives, including culturally tailored programming, but they do not cover the full and ongoing cost of running our organization.
| Community fundraising and donations are essential to sustaining our core grief support groups, individual peer support sessions, volunteer training, and the staff and infrastructure that make these services possible. | |
That is why our annual Walk to Remember on Saturday, September 19 is so important. Walk to Remember is more than our largest fundraising event. It is an opportunity to gather as a community, honour the people we love, and help ensure that others have somewhere to turn when grief changes their lives.
Every registration, donation, team, and fundraising page brings us closer to sustaining the programs our community relies on.
- A gift of $35 can provide one individual peer support session with a trained volunteer who understands grief through lived experience.
- A donation of $125 can cover the cost of a full grief support group session for up to 12 participants, while $468 can train a new volunteer to provide compassionate and meaningful support.
Every contribution, regardless of size, helps someone feel less alone.
There are many ways to take part. You can register to walk, create a team in memory of someone special, invite friends and family to support your fundraising, make a direct donation, become a sponsor, or help us spread the word. When you participate, you are not only honouring the people you carry with you. You are helping sustain a community of care for those who will need us tomorrow, next month, and in the years ahead.
To our participants, volunteers, donors, funders, sponsors, and community partners, thank you for believing in the importance of this work. Your support allows us to continue showing up for people in their most difficult moments and helps us work toward a future where no one has to grieve alone.
With gratitude,
Julia Duz
Executive Director
Centre for Grief and Healing
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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.
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Support Updates
From January through the end of June, we’ve welcomed more than 324 new community members to the Centre for Grief and Healing (BFO-H/P), facilitated over 539 one-to-one support sessions, and hosted more than 113 support groups with over 635 total visits.
Stay connected through our email updates and communications, or visit our website to learn more about upcoming programs, workshops, and support opportunities.
Our One-to-One (1:1) Peer Support Waitlist Is Getting Shorter!
Thanks to the incredible dedication of our volunteer, student, and staff peer supporters and the ongoing support of our community, we're pleased to share that the waitlist for our 1:1 Peer Support Program has significantly decreased.
We're grateful to everyone who has waited so patiently to access support and appreciate the understanding you've shown as we've worked to match participants with trained peer supporters. Your patience has allowed us to thoughtfully connect individuals with volunteers who can provide compassionate, meaningful support during a difficult time. Thank you to our volunteers, donors, community partners, and everyone who continues to help make grief support more accessible.
| | Schedule Updates and Fall 2026 Programming | | As we move through the summer months, we want to share what is currently available, note a brief late-summer pause, and outline the additional grief support programming we will be offering this coming fall. | | |
Current Summer Programming
If you are looking for support right now, you are welcome to join us:
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Weekly Open Virtual Support Groups (Ages 18+): Our virtual groups are actively running on their regular weekly schedule throughout the summer, up until August 24th.
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Virtual Traumatic Loss Group (Ages 18+): Meeting Wednesdays from 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM through August 12th. You are welcome to join for whichever remaining sessions work for you. This group is designed for those grieving a traumatic death (specifically, those who lost someone to suicide, substance use, homicide, sudden medical crises, fatal accident, and/or natural disaster).
Upcoming Schedule Changes and Late-Summer Pause
Please keep these key dates and schedule transitions in mind:
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Late-Summer Program Pause: All group sessions will take a brief pause from August 24th through September 4th.
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Fall Resumption: Our weekly open virtual support groups will resume the week of September 7th.
Please Note: Starting in September, our Open Virtual Friends & Family Loss Group will transition from weekly to bi-weekly. The first fall session will take place on Tuesday, September 8th, and will run every two weeks moving forward.
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Workshops & Webinars (Ages 18+ unless otherwise noted)
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South Asian Community Workshops: 3 collaborative workshops co-hosted with Punjabi Community Health Services.
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Youth & Young Adult Series: 4 workshops designed for young adults ages 18–24.
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BIPOC Workshop Series: 4 workshops designed for grieving racialized individuals.
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Seniors Workshop Series: 4 tailored workshops for older adults ages 65+.
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Indigenous Workshop Series: 4 culturally grounded workshops for Indigenous community members.
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Mental Health and Life Skills Webinar Series: 6 new webinar sessions.
All "Series" workshops mentioned above entail trauma-informed movement, embodied wellness, and/or creative, hands-on arts- and culture-based activities.
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Fall 2026 Offerings
In addition to our ongoing weekly programming and one-to-one support, we are pleased to offer expanded in-person groups, culturally specific spaces, and multi-week support programs this fall.
Multi-Week Support Groups (Ages 18+)
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In-Person Friends & Family Loss Support Group (8 weeks) – A structured, multi-week group for folks grieving the loss of anyone in their life.
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In-Person Child Loss Support Group (6 weeks) – A dedicated, compassionate space for parents and caregivers navigating the loss of a child.
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Virtual BIPOC Grief Support Group (8 weeks) – Offered for racialized community members living in the Halton region.
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Virtual Traumatic Loss Support Group (8 weeks) – For those grieving a traumatic death. This group is designed for those grieving a traumatic death (specifically, those who lost someone to suicide, substance use, homicide, sudden medical crises, fatal accident, and/or natural disaster).
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Connecting With Us
Whether you are seeking drop-in connection today, one-to-one support, or looking toward a multi-week group this fall, please know you do not have to carry your grief alone.
If you have questions or would like to register for a program, please feel free to reach out to our team (info@bereavedfamilies.ca) at your own pace.
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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
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Upcoming Talk: Why Staying Busy Can Be Part of Grieving
Join us on Monday, August 10, from 7:00–8:00 p.m. via Zoom for a GriefTalk with Cassandra Gameng, a third-year Community Social Services student at the University of Guelph-Humber completing her placement at the Centre for Grief and Healing.
Rather than viewing busyness as something "good" or "bad," this session explores how staying busy can be a natural part of grief. Participants will gain insight into their own coping strategies, recognize that grief is experienced differently by everyone, and reflect on making space for both everyday life and grief with self-compassion.
Register Here
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Support Spotlight
One-to-One Grief Peer Support for Racialized Halton Residents
Thanks to the Halton Region Community Investment Fund, we are offering expanded one-to-one grief peer support sessions for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) living in Halton who are grieving the death of someone.
This program provides up to 10 free phone-based sessions with a trained peer supporter who has lived experience with grief and offers compassionate, culturally responsive support.
Participants have the opportunity to share their experiences in a safe(r), non-judgmental, and culturally affirming space with someone who understands the unique ways grief can intersect with identity and lived experience.
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To learn more or register, complete our intake form www.bereavedfamilies.ca/intake-form or contact info@bereavedfamilies.ca.
This program is made possible through the generous support of the Halton Region Community Investment Fund (HRCIF).
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Walk to Remember | Registration is Now Open!
Walk to Remember 2026 is now just under two months away, and we need our community’s help to build momentum. So far, $560 has been raised through peer-to-peer fundraising - enough to train one new volunteer to provide compassionate peer grief support. While it's a meaningful start, we know we can make an even greater impact together.
Our goal is to raise $40,000 to help fund more than 1,100 individual peer support sessions, expand access to free peer grief support programs, and ensure that no one has to navigate grief alone.
Donations of $20 or more are eligible for charitable tax receipts! Learn more, sign up, and donate here: www.bereavedfamilies.ca/walktoremember2026.
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We’re pleased to welcome back Dignity Memorial as our Circle of Care Lunch Sponsor, for generously providing a complimentary prepared lunch for all registered participants who submit their lunch selection by Wednesday, September 2.
Participants can choose from a Turkey & Havarti Croissant, Ham & Swiss Croissant, or Roasted Mushroom & Feta Ciabatta, with each lunch also including a homemade chocolate chip cookie, chips, and bottled water.
Lunch selections must be made through the event registration form, with one form completed for each person requesting a lunch.
Important: Replying to this email with your lunch choice does not register you for Walk to Remember or reserve your lunch. To participate and receive a complimentary lunch, please complete the event registration form: https://forms.gle/ozAh6eWGzkv4ob4c9.
If you need assistance with the form or have any questions about Walk to Remember, contact our Fundraising Manager at: fundraising@bereavedfamilies.ca.
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Our Songs’ Garden Handmade Jewelry Giveaway is open until Sunday, August 2 at 11:59 p.m. ET.
Participants can earn entries for creating or receiving a donation through a fundraising page, completing the entry form, and engaging with Songs’ Garden on Instagram. One winner will receive a custom handmade jewelry piece of their choice.
Learn more here: www.instagram.com/p/DbA_1xVFHN7/?hl=en&img_index=1.
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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.
If you have any questions about Walk to Remember, please email our Fundraising Manager, Kelly (she/her), at fundraising@bereavedfamilies.ca.
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A Message to Our Volunteers
We want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude for each and every one of you.
The empathy, warmth, and steady presence you share at the Centre for Grief and Healing truly transform lives. Whether you’re leading a support group, offering one-on-one care, pitching in at events, or keeping things running smoothly behind the scenes, you are making a profound difference. Thanks to your support, those navigating loss find a safer place to be heard, held, and remembered.
Thank you for pouring your heart into this community and journeying alongside those who need it.
| | Growing Our Volunteer Community | | Seeking Black, Indigenous, and Racialized Group Facilitators | |
The Centre for Grief & Healing is seeking Black, Indigenous, and racialized facilitators (ages 18+) living in the Halton region to co-lead our 8-week BIPOC Grief Support Groups.
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.
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Walk to Remember 2025 Staff and Volunteers |
A. Yates Photography
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Seeking Walk to Remember Volunteers
We're looking for in-person event volunteers for this year's Walk to Remember on Saturday, September 19, at Lakeside Park, Mississauga.
Volunteer opportunities include route marshals, water station support, and general event assistance. Help create a welcoming and meaningful experience for participants while supporting this special community event.
To learn more or express your interest, visit our website or contact volunteering@bereavedfamilies.ca.
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Community Outreach, Events, Fairs, and More
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 fall 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.
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Fairs and Events
This summer, our Volunteer Manager, Selena, attended the annual 50+ Festival at Toronto Metropolitan University, where she connected with older adults and community members while sharing information about our grief support programs.
Selena also highlighted her current research on patient care in later life and provided an opportunity to promote our upcoming Seniors Grief and Wellness Workshops launching this fall.
In August, we will be participating in the Burlington Volunteer Fair, hosted by Community Development Halton, on Saturday, August 22. It's a great opportunity to share information about our grief support services and connect with those interested in volunteering.
Partnerships
We recently partnered with Punjabi Community Health Services to deliver a three-part workshop series focused on grief and loss within South Asian communities. These workshops aim to increase understanding of grief, provide culturally responsive education and support, reduce stigma, and foster connection through shared learning and meaningful conversations.
The Centre for Grief and Healing continues to expand its partnership with McMaster University through OSCARplus, providing students and alumni with greater access to volunteer and student placement opportunities. This fall, we'll also host a virtual information session to introduce the Centre for Grief and Healing, share opportunities to get involved, and connect with students interested in community engagement.
| | Thank You to Our 2026 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 Shontae (she/her) at info@bereavedfamilies.ca.
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