We are so grateful!

With over 100 generous donations, we exceeded our $20,000 North Texas Giving Day goal. We are incredibly grateful to have so many supporters who care about the children and families we serve at Journey of Hope.

The funds raised will allow Journey to serve families both in person and virtually, expanding our reach to even more families.

Thank you for providing meals, smiles, and hope

Meal providers are an important part of our program. We are so grateful to the groups, clubs, and organizations that volunteer to provide a meal for our families on group night. Mealtime allows everyone to relax, talk to one another, and ease into their environment in preparation for their group session.

September Meal Providers

Plano Kiwanis I NCL Sunflower Chapter I Junior League of Collin County Done in a Day I Christ United Methodist Church - Family Living Class I Rejoice Lutheran Church I Preston Meadow Lutheran Church

October Meal Providers

Plano East Rotary I NCL Sunflower Chapter I Arnold Homes Group I Allen Kiwanis I Junior League of Collin County Done in a Day I Association of Texas Professional Educators - Alpha Delta Kappa Chapter

Journey Spotlight: David Kennedy

Meet David Kennedy and his daughter Jillian. David and Jillian have participated in Journey of Hope support groups, and David has become an impactful donor. He sponsors the costs for other families through a monthly automatic donation, volunteers, and participates in the annual golf tournament. David is a great representative of many of our donors and volunteers who know the impact of Journey's program first hand.

David explained his motivation to give this way:

"Grief is both the most common and the loneliest emotion. I lost my wife Betsy in January of 2018. Amongst the support I had and the loneliness of loss, my therapist recommended I contact Journey of Hope.

I didn’t know exactly what to expect the first time, but what I ended up discovering about grief and friendship was profound. My daughter Jillian met a friend who lost her father. She and her friend were born less than 24 hours apart and remain close friends.

I met some of my closest friends, who I would have never met if it wasn’t for this program. Although both the adults and children have a common shared experience, our relationships with those no longer here were very different and so is our grief.

I believe in Journey’s mission and model. Every one of our families has been helped immensely by this program. I have never been asked for one cent by the program. Nor has anyone who I know who has participated in the program. I believe in Journey so strongly, To say this program is amazing is a true understatement."

A Virtual Blessing

Our Program Team has delivered 716 Support Packs in 2021 with crafts and activities to help families create space to learn about each other's unique grief experiences.

"With our family's medical

history, the virtual group

has been a blessing so that

we can receive support and

talk to others in a safe

way.

Even virtually, Journey has been a place for our family to talk about what happened and get the support we needed during a time when we felt really alone.”

-Adult Participant

At Journey, Showing Feelings is Okay

A first-time 5th grade group participant wrote "sad" and "lonely" on the inside of a cup as part of an activity designed to help bring interior feelings to the surface. He stomped on the cup to let his feelings out.

He said that other children at school made fun of his person who had died, and teased him for crying. He became afraid to talk about his feelings and person who had died.

He asked if he could come to Journey of Hope every day because it is a place where there are kids who understand how he feels, and he doesn't have to be afraid to express his feelings.

Art Helps Kids Express Feelings

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The elementary school support groups recently created their own Baymax character from the movie Big Hero 6. The special Baymax represents the people who take care of them and their favorite stuffed animals that help them when their grief feels big.

Artistic expression provides children and teens opportunities to share their grief stories and remember their loved ones in a safe way.

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Journey in the Park

In late August, families gathered for a fun and relaxing get-together with snow cones and grief-related crafts to remember their loved ones. Some families were about to transition into in-person groups, while others were staying in virtual groups. This event was a chance for many of these families to meet each other in-person for the first time and have fun together before their groups changed.

This event is your race, your pace, your journey - any k any way. You choose whether to walk, run, bike, swim, hike, skateboard, rollerblade, or a mix of multiple ways! You can participate in your activity for any distance or length of time.

You are welcome to participate in memory of someone, or simply as someone who supports Journey of Hope and what we do for our community.

Funds raised from registration and peer-to-peer fundraisers go towards the expansion of our program so we can increase our reach to more children and families.

Click here to learn more about Stride for Hope and how to participate