HOPE For Bereaved, Inc.

?? Exciting news!!! ?? We’re thrilled to welcome Michael Valenti as the new Director of Development for HOPE for Bereaved. Mike brings a wealth of experience in service, support, and leadership, making him a perfect fit to help advance our mission of providing compassionate grief support to our community. Mike is the Founder and former President of the Fire Fighter Cancer Foundation of New York and has also served as Northeast Director of the national foundation. His work in advocating for and educating firefighters on cancer prevention has made a tremendous impact, earning him prestigious awards like the Mayor’s Medal and Hamilton White Brotherhood Award. With certifications as a NYS/Nationally Registered Firefighter, Fire Instructor, EMT, and Critical Incident Stress Management Specialist, Mike’s background in crisis support and fundraising is extensive. We’re excited for the positive changes his leadership will bring to HOPE for Bereaved. Mike is a devoted family man, married with twin daughters and a son. Welcome, Mike!!!

Preparations are under way for the annual Drug Overdose Awareness Day, taking place at the Butterfly Garden of HOPE in Liverpool this Saturday. It is a day to honor those we've lost to overdose and support those struggling with substance use. This day reminds us of the devastating impact of addiction on individuals, families, and communities. Join us at 6:30 PM to hear from community members, engage with local resources, and be amongst like-minded people. Together, we can bring hope and healing to those affected by this crisis. #overdoseawarenessday2024 #EndOverdoseNow #HopeAndHealing #TogetherWeCan

?????? We are so excited to welcome Allie to the HOPE family for the Fall semester!! She will be assisting with our upcoming Celebration of HOPE fundraiser, updating our youth resources, and supporting our new and improved youth support group! Keep reading to learn more about Allie and why she chose HOPE for her internship placement ?? My name is Alexandria Fabrizi and I am a rising senior at Syracuse University studying Human Development and Family Science as well as Public Health. I am truly passionate about working with youth and their families and pursuing this path has allowed me to acquire the knowledge and professional skills to help build upon this personal interest. After graduation, I hope to utilize what I have learned and my experiences at SU within a position that allows me to travel and support underserved children and families across the country before continuing my education to obtain a Masters in Public Health. I chose to intern at Hope for Bereaved as I believe this experience will positively contribute to these future goals and provide me the opportunity to truly connect with the Syracuse community. I am excited to join the HOPE family and use my background in human development, as well as my personal experiences with grief, to not only help support local youth and families but to understand and learn from their stories and the amazing work of this organization. WELCOME ALLIE!!!

#hope #hopeforbereaved #grief #bereavement #cny #syracuse #syracuseny #clients #successstories

?? We are excited to welcome Nicole Macris as the newest member of our Board of Directors! ?? Nicole is a litigation attorney at Bond, Schoeneck & King PLLC. She joined Bond in April 2023 after nearly four years as an Appellate Court Attorney with the Fourth Department, Appellate Division in Rochester, New York. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science (2012) from Le Moyne College and a Juris Doctor from Syracuse University College of Law (2018).?Nicole enjoys playing tennis, practicing yoga, golfing, reading, cooking, baking, attending concerts, and spending precious time with her loved ones. ? Her decision to join the HOPE for Bereaved Board of Directors is driven by her personal experiences with loss and her deep belief in providing support through empathy and compassion, values that resonate strongly with HOPE's mission. "I am proud to join HOPE's Board, and to be part to an organization endeavoring to help those in our community suffering from loss and processing grief." We are thrilled to have Nicole's expertise and passion on our team and can't wait to see what we will accomplish together! #Welcome #NewBoardMember #nonprofit #grief #bereavement #CNY #syracuse #syracuseny #HOPE #HOPEforBereaved

On Friday, we had the pleasure of hosting HR professionals from Community Bank, N.A. for a day filled with art, dogs, and community spirit! These six incredible women volunteered their time to transform six donation boxes (previously used at another event) into beautiful birdhouses! The day began with a tour of HOPE, where they learned about our mission and how we support the bereaved in Central New York. Guided by our volunteer, Oscar, they spent the rest of the morning unleashing their creativity! Armed with blue, red, yellow, and white paint, they mixed colors to create vibrant pinks, purples, and greens. The designs they created ranged from simple to detailed, and they were all bright, beautiful, and full of HOPE. Their creativity truly impressed us! These birdhouses will soon be hung at the Center of HOPE and the Butterfly Garden of HOPE in Liverpool. Stay tuned for their exact locations! A huge THANK YOU to Community Bank, for partnering with us and making this fun project possible!

We're excited to welcome back a long-time partner - HEA Appraisal - as a Platinum sponsor for our 2024 Remembrance Run/Walk! HEA offers damage inspection and appraisal services. They focus on the customer first and hold strong in their value of delivering high-quality services. Their goal is simple - to produce a timely and accurate product for their client. If you'd like to learn more about their services, visit their website: www.hea-appraisal.com Thank you for your continued support of the bereaved in CNY!!!

Excellus BCBS is our 2024 Garden of HOPE sponsors... but they are SO MUCH more than that! This morning, a crew of 20+ volunteers from all over CNY showed up to volunteer their time for the annual beautification of the garden. They spread mulch, planted annuals, weed whacked, picked up trash, and more! ???????? What a way to spend such a gorgeous day! ?? HOPE For Bereaved, Inc. and Excellus BCBS have been partnering in this way for almost two decades! Like us, they are dedicated to helping their local community and its members. We are so GRATEFUL for this partnership. Thank you to the employees who showed up to help today - know that you are making a difference in the lives of those grieving in CNY ????

Last week we had a blast with the Syracuse Mets Baseball Club talking about the mission of HOPE and making one of our kiddos dreams come true! Thank you to Kelly Ocampo for arranging this awesome event! Thank you to Ruth Shirley, Margi Doran, and Oscar Ocampo for volunteering in the frigid weather! ?? ?? ?? Thank you to Julie Corn + family for coming out and showing HOPE so much love! ?????? Congrats to our friend Sam for his bravery in throwing out the first pitch AND being the only one to make it to the catcher! ??????