Uplift Center for Grieving Children - Philadelphia

Via WHYY: Grants like the violence prevention grant Uplift received from the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office help us to offer grief services for free. “People are understanding that grief work and mental health work are violence prevention, and that is very important,” said Uplift's Executive Director, Keri Salerno.

Uplift Center for Grieving Children thanks the Philadelphia District Attorney's Office and the Philadelphia Foundation for awarding Uplift $50,000 as part of their violence prevention grants program. This funding will support grief groups at schools in neighborhoods most affected by gun violence. Unmanaged grief plays a significant role in increasing violence in communities. When youth receive trauma-informed and trauma-responsive grief support, it can help break the cycle of violence and trauma, leading to stronger coping skills and resilience. By creating safe and supportive spaces for youth to work through their grief, Uplift's grief groups aim to improve youth mental health and contribute to long-term social change by addressing the root causes of trauma and promoting healthier, more resilient communities.

October is National Youth Justice Action Month, which advocates for reform, support, and opportunities for youth in the justice system.?Youth at the Philadelphia Juvenile Justice Services Center asked Uplift's clinicians to display their art and messages within the office, where they will be displayed throughout October. In a 2018 study, 72% of youth in a juvenile detention center reported having been impacted by the death of someone significant. Uplift's grief groups reach and support 69% of grieving children at PJJSC, making a meaningful difference in the lives of youth affected by both grief and the justice system. Learn more about National Youth Justice Action Month through the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention: https://lnkd.in/g-E8mZyB

National Coming Out Day celebrates the power and courage of publicly sharing one's LGBTQIA+ identities with others. The founders believed homophobia and transphobia thrive in isolation and ignorance, and that once people know their loved ones are LGBTQIA+, they are much less likely to maintain oppressive views. In a recent survey by the Centers for Disease Control, 65% of LGBTQIA+ high school-age youth shared that they felt ongoing feelings of sadness or hopelessness during the past year — 71% higher than cisgender and heterosexual peers. A lack of acceptance of their identities can affect youth mental health and make it harder for them to get the care they need, including after the death of a significant person. In this video from 2022, Uplift Clinicians Sam Middleton and CJ Roseberry educate caregivers on ways they can support a grieving LGBTQ+ child. These steps include ways to listen to your child, safety planning, ideas for encouraging your child to live authentically, and using community resources. https://lnkd.in/e5sjhYpB

Senior Uplift clinician Samantha Anthony, MS, LPC joins professionals in discussing the mindsets and emotional health of youth in the justice system in "Counseling Today," the official publication of the American Counseling Association. Samantha details how Uplift's clinical team invites youth to come to their own acceptance of a loss, develop ways to cope with the loss, and find ways to stay connected to the person or thing they are grieving. Read the full article as a PDF below:

Uplift's three-year strategic plan, "Growth Without Compromise,"?serves as a roadmap for Uplift to expand its services in a managed, mission, and values-driven way. Uplift will continue to provide high-quality services, will act as a trusted partner, and will retain its core values while keeping the attributes that make its services effective. Read our strategic plan online, or download a copy here: https://lnkd.in/erU5xNAr

Are you a business or nonprofit professional who is eager to support Uplift? Uplift Center for Grieving Children seeks applicants to join our Young Professionals Board. YPB members share Uplift's mission and programs with their friends, families, and colleagues and support fundraising as donors and volunteers. We welcome all professional backgrounds and work experience levels, and applicants are reviewed on a rolling basis. The ideal YPB candidate... ? is passionate about and feels a connection?to?Uplift's mission and grief groups. ? will educate?their personal and professional circles?about?the importance of effective grief management for grieving youth. ? wants to make a difference?by planning and hosting benefit events, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer fundraising, and other fundraisers. ? will participate?in quarterly Young Professionals Board meetings and annual fundraisers, including?Birds and Brews. If these qualities are true to you, Uplift encourages you to join our Young Professionals Board. Contact Kevin McGuire, Director of Development, at?[email protected] to learn more about the YPB.

Uplift Center for Grieving Children invites all to attend a virtual information session next week on Wednesday, September 18 at 3:00 PM?as Uplift publicly shares its new three-year strategic plan. Developed in partnership with consultants from?The Nonprofit Center at La Salle University, the strategic plan, themed?"Growth Without Compromise," calls for an increase in Uplift's capacity to provide grief services, to elevate awareness around the importance of grief management, and to be value-driven in all its work. Uplift will accomplish these goals while providing high-quality services, acting as a trusted partner, and staying anchored by its core values. To attend this information session, please contact Katherine DiPierro, Uplift's Development and Communications Associate,?by emailing [email protected] with the subject line "Strategic Plan Announcement." Attendees will be emailed a link in advance of the session.

Uplift Center for Grieving Children is setting down new roots in Center City's Logan Square! Uplift is excited to share our move to 1819 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Suite 460 at The Sterling Apartment Homes' Commerce Center. Our new office is in the heart of Philadelphia, just two minutes from City Hall, and is easy to access by bus, train, trolley, and subway. Over August, we've set up a flexible space for hybrid work so that staff can best use it for Uplift's grief programs. Our new office is decorated, desks and supplies are set up, and Uplift is ready to welcome all – program attendees, board members, volunteers, supporters, and stakeholders. Uplift is grateful to Tactix Real Estate Advisors for their pro bono support in real estate brokerage and leasing. We especially thank Rob Cellucci, who currently serves on Uplift's Board of Directors, and R. Ryan Conner, who recently completed his board term. Uplift also thanks Iron Stone Real Estate Partners for leasing and maintaining our former offices at 3300 Henry Avenue for more than a decade. Ultimately, moving to Center City improves Uplift's ability to streamline operations and provide greater and more equitable access for grief groups and other services. We look forward to your visit!

Uplift's Philly HopeLine is a toll-free confidential helpline for youth and families in the Philadelphia region. Callers interested in grief groups, emotional or grief support, or community resource referrals can call Monday through Thursday from 10 AM to 4 PM. Messages left after-hours will be returned at the next available shift, or at a requested time. To learn more about the Philly HopeLine, visit https://lnkd.in/e494QF5r