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"I will never be okay with the way I lost you. But I am okay with the way I grieve you. You deserve to be missed this much." -Sara Rian
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Hope Report:
Spring 2025 Newsletter
| | A Message from the Executive Director | | | |
I’m pleased to share some exciting updates about the work happening at the Centre for Grief and Healing. As our programs continue to grow, so does our commitment to creating spaces where people feel supported, understood, and less alone in their grief. Every new initiative, partnership, and funding opportunity helps us respond more meaningfully to the evolving needs of our community.
One important area of progress is our Bridging the Gap: Indigenous Youth Leading the Path to Improved Mental Health Systems project, funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation and delivered in partnership with Finding Our Power Together. We are now well into the implementation phase of this work, building on the relationships, learning, and planning established over the past two years. This phase focuses on putting that groundwork into action by continuing to centre Indigenous youth voices and strengthen more culturally grounded mental health pathways. This work reflects our shared belief that support must be shaped by community, lived experience, and cultural relevance.
We are also excited to share updates from our Ontario Trillium Foundation Seed Grant programming. Our Seniors Grief and Wellness Workshops are set to begin in April, and our 2SLGBTQIA+ Grief and Wellness Workshops will launch in June. These four-week, culturally tailored workshops are designed to offer welcoming spaces for connection, reflection, and healing. We know that grief is deeply personal, and these programs are being created with care to ensure participants feel seen, respected, and supported in ways that reflect their identities and experiences. More details will be shared soon, and we look forward to opening registration in the coming weeks.
As we look ahead, we are excited about what these opportunities make possible. From deepening partnerships to expanding culturally responsive supports, we remain focused on meeting people where they are and ensuring that grief support is available to those who need it most. We are proud to keep building programs that reflect the strength, diversity, and resilience of our community.
Thank you for continuing to be part of this work. Whether you are a participant, volunteer, donor, funder, or community partner, your support makes a meaningful difference. We are grateful to have you alongside us as we continue to grow, learn, and care for one another.
With gratitude,
Julia Duz
Executive Director
| | | Our Centre for Grief and Healing (CFGH) Team | | | Greetings to all new members joining us. | |
As we continue to welcome new faces to the organization, we wanted to say hello and welcome to the Centre for Grief and Healing (BFO-H/P).
As a small yet powerful team, we take pride in our unique perspectives and leadership. To learn more about us, [click here], and don’t forget to explore our Volunteer Recognition Wall, showcasing the generosity and dedication of our fantastic volunteers!
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A Message from Samantha (Volunteer Manager)
Firstly, I want to welcome our new Volunteer Manager, Selena!
She will be stepping into the role while I (Samantha) am on maternity leave until 2027. Selena has been a practicum student with us since September 2026, and has been working closely with me to onboard new volunteers, provide training, and provide support in securing speakers for our 2026 GriefTalks!
Welcome to the team, Selena!
| | | Seasonal Fundraising Spotlight | | | |
Yoga for a Cause
Join us for Yoga for a Cause on Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. EST at Power Yoga Canada Mississauga (Lakeshore), located at 1680 Lakeshore Rd W Unit 3, Mississauga. This special fundraiser invites you to move, breathe, and connect in support of the Centre for Grief & Healing.
The class will be a 60-minute WARM Deep Flow with music, led by instructor Chiara Guido. Suitable for all levels, this slower-paced class includes longer holds and a grounding floor series designed to help release tension and stress. New yogis are welcome, and optional in-class assists will be available from Power Yoga Canada Mississauga (Lakeshore)’s Assisting Team to help deepen your practice.
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Flow With Us on April 11th
Tickets are $25 + HST per person, with 100% of proceeds supporting the Centre for Grief and Healing so we can continue providing free grief peer support to those in Halton-Peel who are coping with the loss of a loved one. Participants are encouraged to bring their own yoga mat if they have one, though mats will also be available to rent at the studio. Kindly arrive 15–20 minutes early to check in and get settled.
A special thank you to Power Yoga Canada Mississauga (Lakeshore) and Chiara Guido for generously donating their space and time to make this event possible.
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From January - March, we:
Supported 252+ group visits through...
44 grief support group sessions.
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From January-March, we:
Facilitated 160+ one-to-one grief peer support sessions.
Welcomed 170+ new members to the organization.
| | | Specialized Grief Workshops | | | |
Mental Health Workshop Series 1
With funding from Peel Region through the CARE Program, we are offering two 6-week, in-person mental health workshop series (ages 18+) that prioritize individuals receiving social assistance. These workshops support adults navigating grief while building practical skills for emotional wellbeing and daily life.
These workshops will explore:
- Grief and trauma
- Secondary losses
- Identifying personal needs
- Strengthening support systems
- Self-compassion
- Future planning
- Experiential and activity-based learning
The first in-person workshop series will start the first week of March, with a second in-person series offered in mid-October.
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Moving Through Grief
Funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation through the Seed Grant, we plan to offer 6, 4-week population-specific grief and mental health educational workshops. These time-limited, in-person series are designed to meet people where they are and offer alternative, culturally responsive ways of engaging with grief.
Each series combines trauma-informed movement, embodied wellness, and arts- and culture-based activities to support community-specific ways of engaging with grief.
Upcoming series (4 weeks each) for:
- Seniors (Ages 65+) – Week of April 20
- 2SLGBTQIA+ Folks (18+) – First week of June
| | | January-April 2026 Grief Support Groups (Ages 18+) |
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Virtual Friends and Family Loss Group: every Tuesday*, 6:30pm-8:00pm.
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Virtual Parent & Guardian Loss Group: every Wednesday*, 6:30pm-8:00pm.
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Virtual Partner Loss Group: every Thursday*, 6:30pm-8:00pm.
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8-Week In-Person Friends and Family Loss Group: every Wednesday until March 25th, 6:30pm-8:00pm.
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6-Week In-Person Mental Health Workshop Series: every Thursday starting March 5 until April 9, 6:30pm-8:00pm.
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Virtual 8-Week Traumatic Loss Group: every Wednesday starting March 11 until April 29, 6:30pm-8:00pm.
Click the photo ("Grief Support Groups Guide") to view our frequently asked questions, how to register for group, group guidelines, and additional Winter 2026 groups, topics, and dates. This document can also be found on our website here. Please email us at info@bereavedfamilies.ca if you have any questions. Our Spring 2026 Groups Guide will be released later in April.
*Please Note: Our weekly Virtual Friends & Family, Parent & Guardian, and Partner Loss groups will not run from May 4 - May 15. They will resume the week of May 18.
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Terminal Illness Support Group
We are offering our first closed support group for young people with terminal diagnoses. Anyone with a life-threatening illness between the ages of 18 to 35 is welcome! Join us for conversations about illness, death, and grief. Weekly themes are:
- What's in a Diagnosis?
- Pain, Coping, and Disconnection
- Medical and Caregiver Conflicts
- Shame and Others' Grief
- Guilt, Anger, and Your Own Grief
- Regrets and Memories
- Fear: Facing and Naming Death
- What's Next
The group will be facilitated by Kat Kahnert-Wolchak, a volunteer with lived experience and a fatal diagnosis of her own.
Each session offers opportunities for conversation, reflection, and gentle skill-sharing to help navigate daily life with a terminal illness. There is no expectation to speak or share; participants are welcome to engage in whatever way feels most comfortable. Our focus is on normalizing grief and creating community.
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Volunteer Recruitment
For the month of March we onboarded 5 new group facilitators, and have an additional 7 who will be joining our April group training session.
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Celebrating Our Volunteers
As we recognize National Volunteer Week (April 19–25, 2026), we want to take a moment to celebrate and truly appreciate our volunteers. They are the heart of this community. Through their time, care, and compassion, they help create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and less alone in their grief.
Whether it’s facilitating groups, offering support, or simply showing up with empathy, their presence makes a meaningful difference in people’s lives.
We’re so grateful for our volunteers who continue to show up and offer their support when it’s needed most. Together, we’re building a community that honours grief and fosters connection.
As a small way to connect and show our appreciation, we’ll be hosting a Virtual Coffee & Chat on Thursday, the 2nd, from 11:00 AM–12:00 PM, a casual space to meet, get to know one another, share experiences, and build community together. We’d love to see you there!
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Growing Our Volunteer Community
We are recruiting volunteers for the following roles:
Multilingual One-to-One Support: Volunteers provide one-to-one grief peer support and are typically matched with 2–3 clients at a time, meeting weekly or bi-weekly for 30-minute support sessions.
Parent and Guardian Loss Group Facilitators:
Volunteers are not required to facilitate every week, however, we ask for a minimum commitment of two groups per month. Each group runs for approximately 1.5 hours.
Grief Support Group Facilitators:
Co-facilitate our in-person and/or virtual grief peer support groups. Volunteers are asked to support a minimum of two groups per month.
All volunteer roles include training and ongoing support. If you or someone you know may be interested in learning more or applying, please visit the link below.
| 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. | | | | Connections, Fundraising, Workshops and Events | | | |
Get to Know Us!
We've recently had some wonderful meetings with other organizations in the Halton and Peel regions, and we're excited about the opportunity to collaborate with them next year.
We are also excited to offer and virtually host a free 30 to 45-minute "Get to Know Us" meeting with organizations and professionals interested in learning more about us and the work we do. If you are from an organization and are interested in inviting us to a virtual meeting, please contact us at: outreach@bereavedfamilies.ca.
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Building Connections
Our private, paid workshops ("Navigating Through Grief" (NTG)) are designed for helping professionals, the general public, and teams in workplaces, agencies, or organizations. These pre-set workshops explore grief and loss, their unique impacts, and practical ways to support yourself and others through grief. We also offer customization options to tailor the workshop to your team or the population you serve.
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GriefTalks: Educational 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.
| | Join us on April 16 from 7–8 p.m. for a virtual Talk on navigating grief within complex relationships. This session offers compassionate, pressure-free ways to care for yourself while honouring your grief as it truly is. | | | |
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Bids of Hope
Thank you to everyone who supported this year’s Bids of Hope online auction. Together, the fundraiser raised close to $7,000 gross for the Centre for Grief and Healing and Bereaved Families of Ontario - Toronto. Of that, approximately $5,000 in net proceeds will support the Centre for Grief and Healing’s free grief peer support programming. We are so grateful to everyone who donated, bid, and helped spread the word. These funds are enough to fully run a 6-week closed support group for a specific population, such as BIPOC, 2SLGBTQIA+, or Suicide Loss, while also making a meaningful contribution toward launching a new 8-week closed grief group for an underserved community.
| | | | The Real Impact of Your Support | | | |
When you give, you're helping ensure grief support remains free, accessible, and rooted in compassion. Make a difference today: www.bereavedfamilies.ca/donate
If you’d like to learn more about how we use donations or how you can get involved, reach out any time:
Julia (she/her), Executive Director – executivedirector@bereavedfamilies.ca
Kelly (she/her), Fundraising Manager – fundraising@bereavedfamilies.ca
| | | Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (I.D.E.A) Updates | | | |
We’re excited to share that this year we are developing six new culturally tailored workshop series designed to support specific communities in meaningful and responsive ways. These offerings are made possible through the Ontario Trillium Foundation Seed Grant.
If you’re interested in providing insight, sharing your lived or professional expertise, supporting program development, or facilitating within one of these series, we would love to connect with you! Please reach out to learn more about the opportunities available to help shape and deliver these impactful initiatives.
| | | Expressing Appreciation for Our Generous Funders and Community Support! | | | Click here to see what our current funders are supporting. | | | 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 here: 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.
Our next Hope Report will be sent in June 2026. Our Care Corner: Wellness Newsletter will be sent next month.
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