Hands Holding Hearts To Hold Free Spring Workshop for Grieving Children

Losing a family member is one of the most difficult experiences in life, and even more so for children, who may not know how to properly deal with the loss.

Hands Holding Hearts believes it can help.

The non-profit organization is holding a free Spring Workshop for 6-12 year-olds and their families from 1-2:30 p.m. on April 19 at the Crossing Community Church in Newtown.

Children and their families will work on arts and crafts while also being taught how to deal with a significant loss in their lives.

“It’s going to be teaching kids coping skills while they are having fun,” Organization Co-Founder Amy Keiper-Shaw said. “The main premise is to remind them that life goes on and this can be a time of rebirth. We will talk about what our group does and remind them that kids aren’t alone.”

Shaw, a bereavement counselor, started the organization after a family member, who lost a child, came to her.

“She came to me because I’m a grief counselor. She said, ‘Amy, what can I do for my other kids. There is no support,’” Shaw said. “That’s why we have been trying to offer workshops and our bereavement camp. There’s a need and no one seems to be addressing it. We figured we can do that.”

According to Keiper-Shaw, 1 out of 7 children will suffer the loss of a loved before their 18th birthday. Often times, it’s a grandparent.

“I feel like there is a need to support kids in our community who have had a change in their lives,” she said. “We know that 50-percent of marriages end in divorce, and that is a significant change, but we also know that 1 in 7 children will lose someone significant in their lives before they are 18. That’s pretty high.”

She added: “We are trying to fill that hole and meet that need we have seen and experienced.”

The Crossing Community Church is located at 80 Lower Silver Lake Rd., in Newtown.

To register for the workshop or find out more information about the event or the August day camp, visit www.handsholdinghearts.com.