Unlikely Collaborators' New Grant to Dougy Center Enhances Grief Support Services
Unlikely Collaborators' New Grant to Dougy Center Enhances Grief Support Services
On April 30, 2026, Unlikely Collaborators announced its commitment to continue supporting the Dougy Center, a vital nonprofit organization that provides a safe haven for children, teenagers, young adults, and their families to share and process grief. This new two-year grant reflects Unlikely Collaborators’ dedication to facilitating healing, connection, and emotional resilience during life’s most challenging moments.
Expanding Access to Peer Grief Support
The recently awarded funding aims to expand peer grief support initiatives tailored for young people and families navigating the difficult terrain of loss. By increasing access to care, Dougy Center plans to offer inclusive, community-informed programs that foster connections among grieving individuals, allowing them to find solace and strength in shared experiences.
Founded in 1982 in Portland, Oregon, Dougy Center pioneered the world’s first peer grief support program specifically for children. Over the decades, it has evolved into a globally recognized model of bereavement care, often referred to as the Dougy Center Model. Named in honor of Dougy Turno, a young boy who sought help during his battle with an inoperable brain tumor, the organization has worked tirelessly to listen and respond to the needs of grieving children and their families across diverse backgrounds.
Focus Areas and Community Needs
With the new grant, Dougy Center intends to strengthen its existing programs while remaining agile to the evolving needs of the communities it serves. Key priority areas include:
- - Enhancing the Tapestries group: This specialized initiative, aimed at serving Black and African American families, will see the organization collaborate with Sakura Counseling to create a more supportive and understanding environment for grieving families.
- - Expanding resources for youth in foster care: Recognizing the unique challenges faced by these youths, Dougy Center is committed to developing additional resources and programming specifically designed for this vulnerable population.
- - Training more volunteer group facilitators: To support expanded offerings, Dougy Center will train additional facilitators in the Dougy Center Model, ensuring a well-rounded peer support experience across multiple groups.
Brennan Wood, the Executive Director of Dougy Center, expressed gratitude to Unlikely Collaborators for their unwavering support: "We are deeply grateful for the ongoing partnership and support of Unlikely Collaborators. Their generous championing of Dougy Center makes it possible for grieving children, teens, and their families to find care and community during life’s most challenging moments.”
The Importance of Understanding Grief
As part of the collaboration between Unlikely Collaborators and Dougy Center, Wood, alongside Senior Director of Advocacy and Education, Dr. Donna L. Schuurman, participated in a Spark Salon, a speaker series aiming to foster deeper discussions about significant topics. Their conversation centered on the complex nature of grief, its capacity to transform identity and connection, especially for younger populations, and the crucial need for support that doesn’t seek to “fix” grief, but rather witnesses it.
This dialogue offered valuable insights into adopting a “grief-informed” perspective, emphasizing that acknowledging and honoring grief can foster deeper empathy and resilience. Those interested in exploring these themes can access the Spark Salon video online, as well as Wood’s TEDx talk on grief and resilience.
About Unlikely Collaborators
Unlikely Collaborators, founded and chaired by Elizabeth R. Koch, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering transformative storytelling and cultivating human connection. Their mission centers around addressing internal conflicts that manifest as external issues, leading to a richer understanding of personal and collective experiences. At the heart of their efforts is the innovative Perception Box™ framework, which helps individuals identify and challenge their mental models, enriching their lives and relationships.
To learn more about Dougy Center and get involved, visit dougy.org. For additional details about Unlikely Collaborators, check out unlikelycollaborators.com.
Topics Health）
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