Henry Ford SandCastles

Your support sends a child to our no-charge Grief Summer Camp!

Your Gift Truly Makes a Difference

Your gift is powerful – because your generosity enables SandCastles to heal, inspire, and bring children and families together who have experienced the death of a loved one to help them know they are not alone.

Every dollar raised helps keep SandCastles services free of charge to the community at large:

• Bi-weekly support groups for children, teens, and their caregivers who have experienced a death
• An annual summer bereavement camp
• Ongoing phone support and resources for community members navigating grief and loss

Make a gift to SandCastles today. It takes just a few minutes and helps us bring hope and resources to grieving families when they need it most. 

Helping Grieving Children Heal

1 in 11 Michigan children will experience the death of a parent or sibling before their 18th birthday.

This is 201,000 Michigan children, and this number more than doubles by the age of 25.

97% of teachers say grief adversely impacts learning. 

Bereaved children are 2x more likely to experience challenges at home. 

25% of children who die by suicide were bereaved.

Bereaved youth are 175% more likely to develop substance abuse disorder as adults.

There is no way to know exactly how many Michigan children are experiencing grief - these numbers only account for those with a parent or sibling who has died. What about friends, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, teachers, neighbors?

What happens when grieving children don’t take the necessary steps to process and heal from their grief? Their mental health and well-being are impacted into adulthood. Help us give these children a shot at a better future.

Henry Ford SandCastles We work as a preventative program to help children and teens learn how to grieve and cope with their loss in a constructive and healthy way. Expressing thoughts and emotions in a supportive environment builds self-esteem in children and strengthens their ability to make positive life choices now and as adults.