A few words in advance…
Image by Nathalie HimmelrichA few words in advance…
Quite a few bereaved parents feel a wish developing inside them sooner or later after their loss: they want to support other parents going through similar situations. Many feel that this will honour their lost child and this gives them meaning during a difficult time. So the healing works two ways: For those who are supported and those, who offer help in whichever form.
There are many options of how to do that, from tiny gifts and gestures up to hosting charity events and fundraising. Everything counts.
Like in every project, the kick-off is the hardest part. Don’t doubt yourself and your idea. This is not a business project. It is heartwork and not everything must go perfectly at once. It’s your honest wish to create something good and meaning out of the loss of your child by helping others in need which makes it worthy and important. Please bear that in mind.
Self-care is also important. Check in with yourself, your energy level and your process of grief. Don’t exhaust yourself by helping others. You must first help yourself before helping others. It is never too late for starting a project and the right moment, as well as the right topic, will come.
Charity work or donations
Read more about charity work (donating, volunteering or creating one) here.
There are many charities out there who are supporting bereaved parents through their heartwork. When donating to a charity, it is less work than taking on a project for yourself. Creating and running a charity requires a lot of your energy, time and potentially money.
Please make sure that whatever charity you’re donating to, is using their donations in ways that are in line with what is important to you.
Donate books in honour of your child
The Grieving Parents Support Association (GPSA), the charity arm of the GPSN, collects donations to sponsor copies of our resource books to hospitals, bereavement centres, grief support groups and retreats. You can donate books in honour of your child. This is a simple way to memorialize your child and help other bereaved parents through the early stages of loss. When donating in this way, you create meaning after the loss.
Your donated books will receive a personalized ‘In Loving Memory’ sticker with your child/children’s names on it.
Fundraising
Ideas for fundraising are endless and depend on your own interests and talents. Maybe you are super-creative and design t-shirts or jewellery promoting your project and sell them? Or you are a master chef and host dinners or cook-offs? If you are into any sports or into yoga, think about using this a platform for hosting a charity event such as charity yoga classes or create a team to participate in a marathon in your area collecting money for your fundraiser. Social media is a source of inspiration as well as for spreading the word. Use your local community and your online community. You might present your idea on the online fundraising platform www.gofundme.com. Create a website or a Facebook page, an Instagram account and write about and document your project.
Examples of people’s projects and charity work
We would like to collect your projects and charity work. If you have suggestions, please send us an email.
If you would like to advertise your paid work, be that artwork, jewellery, books, services, please also send us an email.
Do you have additional suggestions?
This should provide you with a very rough overview. If you have questions or additions, please send an email!