Selah Carefarm grief support
Tax deductible
Family and friends,
Thank you to everyone who has provided love and support to my sister and our family as we have grappled with the sudden and tragic passing of her husband Jeff. Jeff passed away in November and we are going through the first year of grieving and milestones (holidays, birthdays etc without a husband and father).
Julie, Sky (12) and Sierra (10) are very strong and they are surrounded by a large community of love and support. What a blessing. This month, I accompanied them on a stay to the non-profit Miss Foundation’s Selah Carefarm, a residence and retreat that specializes in helping people suffering traumatic grief, specifically parents that have lost a child (can you even imagine??) and children that have lost a parent.
The Selah Carefarm, located in Sedona, AZ and run by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, has a dual mission to help grieving people, and also to rescue abused animals. They put these two needy groups together in a magical way. Each morning my sister and both of her children would attend grief therapy session with therapists specializing in treating loss from death, and specialists who work with grieving children. For the kids, the therapy included play with the animals, learning about animals’ rescue stories as a vehicle for talking about loss (“this goat’s name is Captain, his mother died and we brought him here…”). And when they weren’t in sessions, we were able to feed the animals, spend time in nature, and create art projects in honor of Jeff that we left in the “quiet place” on the farm.
I can tell you that this experience was powerful and transformative. I’m so thankful that Julie learned about this resource, because I saw with my own eyes that it helped her family to continue on their path to healing. We are lucky to be able to afford the fees that the Carefarm normally charges—but I was also impressed and grateful to learn that the Miss Foundation has a “pay what you can afford” policy to ensure that less fortunate families can use their services as well. For example, while we were there a single mother in crisis, who lost her young child, was staying at the Carefarm for two months due to the severity of her trauma. I am thankful this resource exists to help both people and animals in need.
I left the Carefarm inspired to help this non-profit organization and to help other families who have been broken the same way Julie, Sky & Sierra have been broken. So I am writing to invite you to join me and donate to this exceptional 501c3 organization. No pressure at all, and obviously feel free to make any sized donation anonymously. As the saying goes, every little bit will help.
And, if you know anyone who needs the support of Selah Carefarm, let me know and I will introduce them to Dr. Cacciatore. She is a life-changer.
-Jenny
https://missfoundation.org/ and https://selahcarefarm.com/
More information about The MISS Foundation (MISS Foundation): The MISS Foundation C.A.R.E.S. (counseling, advocacy, research, education, service) for families and communities before, during, and after the death of a child of any age, from any cause. More than 120,000 children die every year in the United States. After the death of a child, families experience unparalleled trauma and grief. The MISS Foundation is committed to helping families through local support groups, counseling, advocacy, education, mental health services, peer-support mentoring, online forums, kindness walks and program, an annual retreat for bereaved parents, specialized training for providers in traumatic grief, and opportunities for volunteerism that allow bereaved and traumatized individuals to give back as a way to remember and honor their beloved.
Thank you to everyone who has provided love and support to my sister and our family as we have grappled with the sudden and tragic passing of her husband Jeff. Jeff passed away in November and we are going through the first year of grieving and milestones (holidays, birthdays etc without a husband and father).
Julie, Sky (12) and Sierra (10) are very strong and they are surrounded by a large community of love and support. What a blessing. This month, I accompanied them on a stay to the non-profit Miss Foundation’s Selah Carefarm, a residence and retreat that specializes in helping people suffering traumatic grief, specifically parents that have lost a child (can you even imagine??) and children that have lost a parent.
The Selah Carefarm, located in Sedona, AZ and run by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore, has a dual mission to help grieving people, and also to rescue abused animals. They put these two needy groups together in a magical way. Each morning my sister and both of her children would attend grief therapy session with therapists specializing in treating loss from death, and specialists who work with grieving children. For the kids, the therapy included play with the animals, learning about animals’ rescue stories as a vehicle for talking about loss (“this goat’s name is Captain, his mother died and we brought him here…”). And when they weren’t in sessions, we were able to feed the animals, spend time in nature, and create art projects in honor of Jeff that we left in the “quiet place” on the farm.
I can tell you that this experience was powerful and transformative. I’m so thankful that Julie learned about this resource, because I saw with my own eyes that it helped her family to continue on their path to healing. We are lucky to be able to afford the fees that the Carefarm normally charges—but I was also impressed and grateful to learn that the Miss Foundation has a “pay what you can afford” policy to ensure that less fortunate families can use their services as well. For example, while we were there a single mother in crisis, who lost her young child, was staying at the Carefarm for two months due to the severity of her trauma. I am thankful this resource exists to help both people and animals in need.
I left the Carefarm inspired to help this non-profit organization and to help other families who have been broken the same way Julie, Sky & Sierra have been broken. So I am writing to invite you to join me and donate to this exceptional 501c3 organization. No pressure at all, and obviously feel free to make any sized donation anonymously. As the saying goes, every little bit will help.
And, if you know anyone who needs the support of Selah Carefarm, let me know and I will introduce them to Dr. Cacciatore. She is a life-changer.
-Jenny
https://missfoundation.org/ and https://selahcarefarm.com/
More information about The MISS Foundation (MISS Foundation): The MISS Foundation C.A.R.E.S. (counseling, advocacy, research, education, service) for families and communities before, during, and after the death of a child of any age, from any cause. More than 120,000 children die every year in the United States. After the death of a child, families experience unparalleled trauma and grief. The MISS Foundation is committed to helping families through local support groups, counseling, advocacy, education, mental health services, peer-support mentoring, online forums, kindness walks and program, an annual retreat for bereaved parents, specialized training for providers in traumatic grief, and opportunities for volunteerism that allow bereaved and traumatized individuals to give back as a way to remember and honor their beloved.
Organizer
Jenny Connelly
Organizer
Los Angeles, CA
MISS Foundation
Beneficiary