Program Description:

Rancho Santa Fe Women’s Fund grant funding supported The Elizabeth Hospice Children’s Bereavement Program, which provides free, year-round grief support to children and teens ages 3–17 who have experienced the death of a loved one. Open to all families regardless of financial status or hospice affiliation, the program helps children develop healthy coping skills through peer support, group activities, play, memorial rituals, and caregiver involvement.

Grant funding supported center-based and school-based grief groups, professional bereavement training for educators, school crisis response, the annual Camp Spero Grief Camp, and specialized therapeutic programs such as equine-assisted grief support.

Results:

The program met its goals and served hundreds of grieving children, caregivers, and community professionals during the 2025–2026 fiscal year.

Child grief specialists and trained volunteers:

• Facilitated eight 15-week center-based support groups, serving 82 children and 62 caregivers.
• Led 24 school-based grief groups, providing support to 234 students across 26 school districts.
• Delivered 14 bereavement trainings and presentations for 389 educators, healthcare providers, and nonprofit professionals.
• Responded to 12 school crisis situations with consultation and on-site grief support.
• Hosted Camp Spero, serving 108 grieving children and teens.
• Participated in 17 community outreach events to increase awareness and access to services.

Surveys showed that children developed stronger coping skills, felt less alone in their grief, and became more comfortable talking about their loss. Caregivers also reported noticeable improvements in their children’s emotional well-being and family communication.

The program remained on budget and was strengthened by partnerships with 26 school districts, higher education institutions including San Diego State University, CSU San Marcos, and Point Loma Nazarene University, community organizations, and volunteer partners. Therapeutic experiences were enhanced through partnerships such as Canyonside Equestrian Center, while graduate interns and volunteers helped expand program capacity. These partnerships will continue to strengthen the program’s reach and sustainability.

Future Plans:

As demand for children’s grief services continues to grow, The Elizabeth Hospice plans to hire an additional full-time program coordinator to expand peer support groups, reduce waitlists, and grow innovative animal-assisted grief services, including the equine program. The organization will also continue leveraging graduate interns, community partnerships, philanthropic support, and grant funding to ensure long-term sustainability and expand access to high-quality bereavement care for grieving children and families throughout the region.