With the continued impact of the coronavirus pandemic, the need is greater than ever. The emotions and stigma related to Covid-related loss increase the need for intensive community support for bereaved children, youth, and families. By donating to Kara today, you can ensure that families and children facing the difficult realities of death are provided with the space and connections required as they journey through grief. With the benefit of our accessible services, children and families find renewed hope and meaning after loss.
Jamie McIntosh, a current student at UC Berkeley, shares about her Kara experience in the accompanying video. Her connection to Kara started when she attended a children's grief group when she was 10 years old, about a year after the death of her father. Now a thriving young adult and successful college student, Jamie serves as a volunteer in our Youth & Family and Camp programs, and shares the following:
As a volunteer, Jamie helps children and teens understand and normalize the difficult feelings they experience as the result of a death in the family.
Jamie's story highlights how Kara serves youth and families in the community. Every day, Kara provides hope and critical support to help grieving families rediscover meaning and purpose in their lives.
Most of us know a family who has suffered a loss. Research confirms that childhood and young adult bereavement is a public health crisis, causing an increased risk of disrupted development. Unaddressed childhood grief and trauma can lead to short- and long-term difficulties including poor academic performance, problematic relationships, mental health issues, and early mortality. The prevalence of loss is highlighted by the following estimates from the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model*:
* The Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model (CBEM) was developed by Judi's House/JAG Institute in partnership with New York Life Foundation, to approximate childhood bereavement rates due to the deaths of a parent or sibling.
** Tracking the reach of COVID-19 kin loss with a bereavement multiplier applied to the United States