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Honoring Children’s Grief Awareness Month
Each year, New York Life Foundation partners with industry experts to share resources and best practices for helping children process and work through their grief. In 2024, we highlighted the significant impact of loss on our youngest grievers and how they can be best supported in their homes and schools.
"Growing as We Grieve" with Sesame Street
New York Life Chair, President & CEO Craig DeSanto talks with beloved Sesame Street characters Elmo and Jesse about loss and how they keep the memory of Elmo’s Uncle Jack alive. Featuring insights from experts at Sesame Workshop, the New York Life Foundation, and the National Alliance for Children’s Grief, the event also introduces a suite of bereavement resources for adults and children.
Bereavement resources and insights
To learn more about research in the bereavement field and to gain insight on how to support those in your community who may be grieving, review the resources listed below:
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New York Life Foundation initiatives
- Coalition to Support Grieving Students
- Become a Grief-Sensitive School
- 2024 State of Grief Report
- Kai’s Journey – this film and book series helps children and families understand and communicate about their grief
- Lost in the Middle – a graphic novel about grief and community healing in middle school
- Coalition to Support Grieving Students
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Partner resources
Annual Day of Learning recap
Last year, New York Life honored Grief Awareness Month by hosting a series of panels with industry experts to share the latest data, best practices, stories, and resources around grief. The event focused on the need for bereavement support in school communities, since everyone can play a role in supporting students through grief. Check out the keynote remarks and panel discussions below to learn more.
The Coalition Then and Now – Identifying and Meeting Needs of Educators
From founding to the future, hear from four different Coalition members about how they represented their organization’s needs while identifying those in the greater community and worked together to create comprehensive resources in response. As teachers, support professionals, and administrators every group shows up for grieving students in different ways.
The Coalition Outside of the Classroom - Physical and Mental Wellness in Schools
More than academics, learn about the critical role of physical and mental health professionals in creating Coalition resources that support professionals and students both in taking care of their overall wellness during difficult times.
Grief Support in Schools – the Power of Partnerships
Join bereavement experts in an exploration of the partnerships between their organizations and schools in their communities - what it takes to create and maintain partnerships, what resources are available to schools, and the meaning of these crucial relationships.
Supporting Grieving Youth and Families: A Community Approach
Explore how a community-wide approach can make a significant impact in supporting grieving youth. With this panel, we will uncover how a united effort among schools, districts, afterschool programs, and the larger community can create a network of support that enables youth to cope with their grief and thrive in their journey.
Taking Action: A Conversation with Heather Nesle and Vicki Jay
Heather Nesle and Vicki Jay discuss where to go from here. How you can take your learnings about Childhood bereavement and create change in your community.
Learn more
We hope the above videos provide insight into the additional need for grief support for bereaved youth and their families as well as the work of the New York Life Foundation and our partners in creating and disseminating bereavement resources across the country.