To help South Jersey families who have lost a family member, Samaritan is unveiling a new in-person support group this June. Because loss is experienced both individually and as a family, Samaritan will offer Healing Hearts – A Space for Grieving Children and Families for children and their parent(s) or guardian(s).

Each 90-minute gathering will be led by professional bereavement specialists dedicated to providing space for children and their parents or loved ones to jointly process grief and heal together.

“Understanding loss can be difficult as a child,” says Joan Ordille, DSW, LCSW, Bereavement Program Supervisor. “Samaritan’s new Healing Hearts grief support group is designed to support children between the ages of four and 17, as well as their parents or guardians. Children will be grouped by age, and adults will join together in a group that offers mutual support and information on how to support grieving children.”

The support groups will be held in-person at Samaritan’s Mount Laurel Office, located at 3906 Church Road, on Monday evenings from 5:30-7:00 PM, (June 5-July 17, no group on July 3^rd). A family “pizza gathering” will take place from 5:30-6 p.m., then children and adults will break into age appropriate groups to obtain mutual support, information on coping, and engage in music and/or art related activities to process grief in a safe and supportive environment. All groups are professionally facilitated.

Registration is required by May 30, 2023, and space is limited. To register, call the Samaritan Center for Grief Support at 856-596-8550 or email CFGcounseling@samaritannj.org.

The Samaritan Center for Grief Support, a member of the Samaritan family of services, offers a number of complimentary support groups for those seeking support, focusing on unique emotional needs and circumstances. The Center’s team of dedicated professionals works tirelessly to explore new, creative ways of providing grief support services via telephone, virtual, and in-person platforms.

For an updated schedule and additional information on support groups being offered by Samaritan in 2023, visit: https://samaritannj.org/resources/grief-support-groups-south-nj/.

About Samaritan:

Samaritan is a not-for-profit, locally based, leading provider of home-based primary care, palliative care, and hospice care, as well as grief support, education, and advocacy, proudly serving the South Jersey community since 1980. Samaritan serves people in Atlantic, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Mercer counties who are coping with the stresses of aging, serious illness or grief wherever they call home. Samaritan also has two dedicated inpatient hospice centers in Voorhees and Mount Holly. Beyond the services covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance plans, Samaritan annually provides nearly $1M in donor-funded non-reimbursed care for patients and families in the South Jersey region. A thrift shop in Westmont also supports Samaritan services and programs. Samaritan is accredited by The Joint Commission; a member of the National Partnership for Hospice Innovation; and is a four-star hospice in the national We Honor Veterans program. For more information, visit www.SamaritanNJ.org.