Tidewell Hospice Expanding Children’s and Family Grief Services in Newtown

July 30, 2021 – Sarasota

Tidewell Hospice is expanding its Blue Butterfly program into the Newtown community in Sarasota, creating greater access to free grief services for children and families living in one of the city’s oldest historically African American communities. A lead investment from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation to the Tidewell Foundation facilitated the creation of Tidewell’s Blue Butterfly Newtown program, which was developed in partnership with Bethlehem Bible Church.

Tidewell’s Blue Butterfly is the only evidence-based program in our region that helps grieving children ages 5-18 and caregivers through professional counseling, peer-support groups and therapeutic activities. The free grief sessions bring children together who are experiencing the complex emotions that follow the loss of a loved one, creating opportunities to process these feelings without judgment while sharing stories that foster comfort and connectedness with others like them. Blue Butterfly peer-support groups are facilitated by grief specialists and trained volunteers who are equipped with the knowledge and skills to support children and families.

“The Tidewell Foundation is grateful to Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation for investing in Tidewell Hospice’s efforts to create more opportunities for children and families in Newtown to find light and healing during some of the darkest days of their lives,” said Tidewell Foundation President Debbie Mason. “The incredible generosity of Tidewell Foundation donors allows crucial programs like Tidewell’s Blue Butterfly to provide comfort and care for those who need it most, all at no cost.”

Throughout Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties, one in 13 children will lose one or both parents before they turn 18 — leaving them at an increased risk for depression, anxiety, truancy, eating disorders, alcohol and drug abuse, and even suicide. According to research by the University of Texas at Austin, Black children are three times more likely to lose a mother than white children. Barriers such as transportation can make it harder for these children and their families to get the help they need. Tidewell’s Blue Butterfly Newtown program will bring free grief services directly into their neighborhoods to serve more youth coping with the death of a special person in their lives.

“Unequal access to healthy, therapeutic opportunities to grieve can leave these children with wounds felt long into adulthood,” said Jonathan Fleece, President and CEO of Tidewell Hospice and President of Empath Health. “Tidewell Hospice is devoted to ensuring anyone who needs access to these healing programs is able to receive it. With this expansion, Tidewell’s Blue Butterfly program is poised to generate a profound impact on the lives of people throughout the Newtown community.”

Tidewell’s Blue Butterfly program group sessions begin with a family style dinner provided by Tidewell Hospice to foster bonds among participants. Children and teens are grouped by age in sessions that include peer group support, art, games, music and fellowship. Simultaneously, caregivers meet in groups of their own to support one-another while receiving education on ways to help their children and themselves navigate grief and reclaim joy in their lives.

“As a leader in our community for over 100 years, the Bethlehem congregation is excited to welcome Blue Butterfly to our Church and the Newtown community,” said the Rev. Patrick A. Miller, Pastor of Bethlehem Bible Church. “We believe that this partnership will provide families struggling with the loss of a loved one the support and resources necessary to find peace and wholeness in their lives.”

Tidewell’s Blue Butterfly Newtown program sessions will begin August 18 at Bethlehem Bible Church, located at 1680 18th St., Sarasota, FL 34234. The free sessions will be held bimonthly on the first and third Wednesday of every month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Enrollment is required before attending a meeting. If you or someone you know needs these services, please call 941-893-6610 to set up an intake assessment or visit tidewellhospice.org/home/programs/grief-support/blue-butterfly.

Tidewell Hospice is actively recruiting volunteers to support the Blue Butterfly Newtown program. Volunteers must be 18 years or older and should have previous experience working with children, a basic knowledge of grief and the ability to volunteer twice a month from 4:30-8:30 p.m. If you’re interested in volunteering with Blue Butterfly and receiving training to help grieving families, please contact Sue Forbes at Sforbes@tidewell.org or call 941-441-2061.

Tidewell Hospice’s not-for-profit grief and bereavement services are 100 percent donor supported through contributions to the Tidewell Foundation and offered for free to members of our community, whether or not their loved one was a Tidewell patient. To support Tidewell’s Blue Butterfly Newtown program and expansion efforts elsewhere in our region, visit tidewellfoundation.org or call 941-552-7546.