Page last updated 9/25/2004
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The Compassionate Friends
The Compassionate Friends is a self-help organization offering friendship, understanding, and hope to bereaved families that have experienced the death of a child. The mission of The Compassionate friends is to assist families toward the positive resolution of grief following the death of a child of any age and to provide information to help others be supportive. Despite a small office staff, approximately 50,000 phone calls, letters, and e-mails from professionals and bereaved family members are received each year and each is individually answered with appropriate bereavement materials supplied at no charge.
Among programs and services are:
- The Compassionate Friends Worldwide Candle Lighting the second Sunday in December at 7 p.m. local time for one hour is believed to be the world's largest mass candle lighting. It is held in remembrance of all children who have died at any age from any cause.
- The Compassionate Friends Walk to Remember is held on the final day of the TCF national conference each year. The walk, with a normal attendance of 1,000 or more, allows bereaved families to remember a beloved child in a special way with others who are making the same grief journey. Concurrent walks are held around the country.
- With nearly 600 chapters and locations in all 50 United States plus Washington D.C. and Puerto Rico, The Compassionate Friends holds a number of Chapter Leader Training Programs each year around the country. These aid the efforts of volunteer chapter leadership to better support the many thousands of bereaved families that contact local chapters and attend meetings.
- Bereavement material development program currently includes 23 professionally written brochures covering most subjects related to the death of a child.
- Diversity program is designed to provide bereavement support to families that have experienced the death of a child no matter the ethnic background. The diversity program also provides support to senior citizens. Because of the large Spanish speaking population the United States, five brochures have been translated into Spanish for distribution.
- Compassionate Employer Recognition program gives national recognition to companies that provide bereavement support to family members in their employ who experience the death of a child.
- The Compassionate Friends holds a national conference during the summer of each year which is normally attended by 1,000 to 1,500 persons. Regional conferences are held around the country
Visit The Compassionate Friends home page.
