Childhood bereavement is a critical issue and an increasingly important national priority. The death of a parent, sibling, or other important person in a child’s life is one of the most frequently reported disruptive childhood experiences, and without appropriate support, can lead to adverse health and welfare outcomes. Understanding the number of children impacted by death is essential to help every bereaved child find hope and healing.
The death of a family member, friend or other significant person is a lifelong loss for children. It is normal for children to miss the person who died and to experience grief that might come and go with different levels of intensity for some time after the death. It can be challenging to parents and caregivers to know what to do for, what to say to and how to help children who are obviously hurting.
The NACG’s resource, About Childhood Grief, offers a few suggestions about how to be helpful to a grieving child based on research and practice among children’s grief support professionals and volunteers. It is important to note that grief reactions in children are varied, wide ranging and unique to each individual. The following suggestions will help guide you as you seek to be provide understanding and compassion to children living with grief.
The death of a family member, friend, or other significant person is a lifelong loss for children. It is important to note that grief reactions in children are varied, wide-ranging, and unique to each individual.
Our partners at the National Association for Children’s Grieve developed several resources designed for those in the school community supporting a child that is grieving. We encourage you to use and share them freely.
Caregivers and Schools Working Together in Partnership After a Death Guide
When your child goes back to school after the death of someone important in their life, it is critical for you to help the school understand how to best support your child during this time. Caregivers know their children best. It is the job of caregivers to help their children feel comfortable at school and empower teachers and other staff to create environments that will best suit the needs of their child. It is important that caregivers communicate with school staff concerning considerations that may be needed for their child. This may include anything from a bit of extra grace on difficult days to a request for the creation of an Individual Bereavement Support Plan.
Supporting a student who is grieving: Resource guide for administrators
Students who are grieving face a multitude of additional potential stressors during the school day. We know they struggle with emotional, physical, behavioral, and interpersonal reactions to their grief that impact their ability to successfully navigate the school environment both in the immediate and long term.
This document is a resource for supporting students returning to school after they have experienced the death of a significant person in their lives. When a student returns to school, they may feel alone and challenged by the task of engaging with their daily routine. Schools are in a unique position to provide support for students with thoughtful plans specific to the individual’s needs. Students grieve developmentally, and their needs are unique and changing throughout the days, months, and years ahead. Those students that need and receive grief support have improved outcomes socially, emotionally, and academically.
This document is a resource for supporting students returning to school after they have experienced the death of a significant person in their lives. When a student returns to school, they may feel alone and challenged by the task of engaging with their daily routine. Schools are in a unique position to provide support for students with thoughtful plans specific to the individual’s needs. Students grieve developmentally, and their needs are unique and changing throughout the days, months, and years ahead. Those students that need and receive grief support have improved outcomes socially, emotionally, and academically.
Grief impacts many different parts of a person. It can change how we act, our emotions, how we hang out, or even how our bodies feel. If a friend or someone in your class has experienced a death, it can be di cult to know how to support them. You might even be asking, “Do they want me to ask about their person?” It’s important to remember; no two losses are the same. While there is no “one size, fits all” way to support a friend, this guide will provide helpful reminders, compassionate language, and ways to give your friend space to share their grief.
As part of the partnership, the NACG has provided a resource toolkit for professionals and families. The toolkit includes:
Grief is an intricate collection of emotions that can weave through the fabric of our lives. While grief is often associated with adulthood, it is important to acknowledge the presence of grief within the hearts of children. End of life memorials and rituals can be difficult for a child to fully understand or participate in, but there are ways to aid them through this process. Download Children and End of Life Memorials/Rituals for more.
Attending a funeral can be a profoundly challenging and emotionally charged experience for people of all ages. However, when it comes to children, the weight of grief and the unfamiliarity of funeral homes can make the process even more overwhelming. Therefore, it is crucial to create a safe and supportive environment for children within funeral homes. Download Creating Space for Children in a Funeral Home for more.
NACG Find Support Map Directory
Enter your zip code in the NACG Find Support Map Directory to access support service providers in your community who serve children, teens, and their families who are grieving.
In the Spring of 2022, the Tribute Foundation Board approved a partnership with the National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG). The NACG is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about the needs of children and teens who are grieving a death and provides education and resources for anyone who supports them. Through their members’ and partners’ collective voices, they educate, advocate, and raise awareness about childhood bereavement. The NACG is a nationwide network comprised of professionals, institutions, and volunteers who promote best practices, educational programming, and critical resources to facilitate the mental, emotional, and physical health of grieving children and their families.
“We’re pleased to continue this partnership,” said Michael J. Gorton, Jr., CFSP, NYS Tribute Foundation Chair. “The partnership started with a session at Convention and then an educational webinar in the fall, both receiving tremendous feedback. This toolkit is just another resource designed to help our members effectively provide grief support for children experiencing loss.”
Enter your zip code in the NACG Find Support Map Directory to access support service providers in your community who serve children, teens, and their families who are grieving.
AmazonSmile is a simple way for you to support NYS Tribute Foundation, every time you shop. Activate AmazonSmile on your web browser and in the Amazon Shopping app for iOS and Android phones. When you shop with AmazonSmile, 0.5% of your eligible purchases will be donated to the Tribute Foundation.
New York Tribute Foundation, Inc. 1 South Family Drive Albany, NY 12205
New York State Tribute Foundation is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Individual contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. All contributors will be recognized as part of the Tribute Foundation’s donor recognition program.
As you look for a unique and memorable way to remember a loved one, mark an occasion, or honor a person, consider a Tribute Gift to the Tribute Foundation.
Our Tribute Program was established to help you recognize those people who have touched your life in a special way.
Choose either a Gift of Remembrance or Gift of Honor and Celebration as a unique way to honor someone special while demonstrating your belief in the Tribute Foundation’s work.
The NYS Tribute Foundation is your opportunity to build a legacy and to share the good work accomplished daily by those in the funeral service profession.
With your help, the Foundation will act as a resource supporting educational programs, financial scholarships, industry research and special projects that advance the understanding of end-of-life issues. Please consider supporting the Foundation at the level most appropriate for you. Your tax-deductible contribution may be made in one payment, quarterly, or as part of your estate planning. Through your contribution, you can be confident that you have touched other lives and made a positive difference in your state and the funeral service profession!
The NYS Tribute Foundation 501(c)(3) charitable, non-profit organization dedicated to cultivating a better understanding of death, dying and bereavement for all New Yorkers. The NYS Tribute Foundation fulfills its mission by advocating education, research, and public policy programs, thus embracing its core values of charity, knowledge and education.
Your support of the Foundation’s efforts benefits individuals and communities across New York State, both in everyday situations and during times of community crisis.
Tribute Legacy Society | $10,000 or more
Cornerstone Benefactor | $5,000 to $9,999
Medallion Circle | $2,500 to $4,999
Keystone Contributor | $1,000 to $2,499
Tribute Pioneer | $500 to $999
Foundation Fellow | $250 to $499
Friend of the Foundation | $100 to $249
New York State Tribute Foundation is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Individual contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. All contributors will be recognized as part of the Tribute Foundation’s donor recognition program.
Providing for future generations is as important as the significant work done today. Planned giving will maintain long-term support to preserve the vision and goals of the New York State Tribute Foundation. Bequests, life insurance, trusts, or other planned gifts qualify individuals for membership in the Premier Society.
With wise and thoughtful planning, the Foundation has the power to continue to positively affect the funeral service profession. And, we look to you, as one who shares our values and beliefs in this profession, to stand with us. With a planned, charitable gift to Tribute, you can make a strong personal statement about the value of the funeral service profession and help to ensure that these values – your values – endure into the future. As we look ahead, it is our hope that by planning today, you will make a gift tomorrow that will impact the future of the funeral profession.
We at the Tribute Foundation believe that if you’re going to give, you should give wisely. You should give in a way that helps protect your family; give in a way that ensures your values will live on through the institutions you trust; and give in a way that helps you achieve your own financial and estate goals.
Planned giving or gift planning are terms often used by lawyers, financial advisers and charities. It is the process of strategically integrating your charitable-giving plans into your financial, tax and estate plans. It is a process that allows you to make donations in ways that not only benefit the charities you value, but also helps achieve your personal financial goals.
Planned giving is a win-win strategy
A planned gift to the NYS Tribute Foundation can help improve your future and ensure ours as well. The easiest and quickest way to make a planned gift is through a bequest in your will. Your bequest to the NYS Tribute Foundation will also “give” you:
A significant contribution without affecting your current income or assets
A reduction or elimination of your federal estate taxes
A guarantee that your values and belief in the funeral service industry will live on.
How can it work for you?
Done correctly, planned giving can help you minimize your taxes and maximize your income and assets. For many, planned giving is a way to reduce or even eliminate tax liabilities (income, capital gains, or estate taxes). For some, a planned gift means you can make a larger donation than you could otherwise afford during your lifetime. For others, a planned gift might even provide an income stream or a higher investment yield. But for everyone, planned giving is a way to achieve your philanthropic goals in a way that also benefits you and your loved ones. Of course, your own financial needs and those of your family come first. With planned giving, everyone wins because you provide for your needs now and the needs of Tribute in the future.
Tribute’s Charitable Gift Planning Guide will facilitate your understanding of the basics of planned giving and how this strategic-giving process can assist you in achieving both your philanthropic and financial goals. It will help you explore the many possibilities for creative planned giving and develop a plan that blends your philanthropic goals and desires with your financial needs and tax planning.
Your tax adviser can provide more information about these and other charitable-giving strategies and can help you determine which methods are most appropriate for your situation. The Tribute Foundation recommends that you consult with independent tax, financial, and legal advisers before making any planned gift.
For more information about the Premier Society Planned-Giving Program please call 800.291.2629 or email tribute@tributefoundation.org.
The Foundation is dedicated to supporting education programs designed to advance the public’s understanding of end-of-life issues. We have offered training programs for Facilitator Training for Suicide and Substance Use Bereavement Support Groups and Certified Celebrant Training.
Please check back for details on future programs.
New York State Tribute Foundation is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Individual contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. All contributors will be recognized as part of the Tribute Foundation’s donor recognition program.
Throughout our lives we encounter people who touch our hearts and souls. They change us in many ways and out lives are forever enriched by their presence.
When death takes these special people from us, we take comfort in finding a way to honor their lives.
By remembering someone with a Gift of Remembrance – a memorial donation made in the name of someone you have lost – you will formally and perpetually express your esteem for that special person.
That person’s memory will live on through the valuable work of the NYS Tribute Foundation.
Gift of Remembrance donations will be recognized with:
Acknowledgement: The NYS Tribute Foundation will send a written acknowledgment to the individual(s) or families you designate, notifying them of your thoughtful gesture. The acknowledgment card will highlight the name of the person for whom the gift was given and the name(s) of the person(s) who made the gift. The amount of your tax deductible contribution (as provided by law) will not be stated on the card unless specifically requested.
Recognition: All gifts, donors and the person(s) being honored will be highlighted in the “Tributes” section in the NYS Funeral Directors Association’s newsletter.
Tribute Display: As donations (either individual or group donations) made in the name of one individual reach the $500 level, the honoree’s name will be prominently displayed at the offices of the NYS Tribute Foundation. This display is a beautiful and lasting remembrance of your loved one.
A Gift of Honor and Celebration is appropriate when you would like to recognize someone you love and respect. Gifts of Honor and Celebration help us express our gratitude for someone’s support, encouragement, patronage or help us to recognize an anniversary, birthday or other special event. Gifts of Honor and Celebration are meaningful ways to demonstrate your esteem for that important person in your life and clearly express your admiration, compassion or gratitude. Gift of Honor and Celebration donations will be recognized with:
Acknowledgment: The NYS Tribute Foundation will send a written acknowledgment to the individual(s) or families you designate, notifying them of your thoughtful gesture. The acknowledgment card will highlight the name of the person for whom the gift was given and the name(s) of the person(s) who made the gift. The amount of your tax-deductible contribution (as provided by law) will not be stated on the card unless specifically requested.
Recognition: All gifts, donors and the person(s) being honored will be highlighted in the “Tributes” section of the NYS Funeral Director Association’s newsletter.
Tribute Display: As donations (either individual or group donations) made in the name of one individual reach the $500 level, the honoree’s name will be prominently displayed at the offices of the NYS Tribute Foundation. This display is a beautiful and lasting remembrance of your loved one.
New York State Tribute Foundation is a tax exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Individual contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. All contributors will be recognized as part of the Tribute Foundation’s donor recognition program.
