{"id":22585,"date":"2025-09-26T10:33:58","date_gmt":"2025-09-26T15:33:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pillarscommunityhealth.org\/?p=22585"},"modified":"2025-09-26T10:36:12","modified_gmt":"2025-09-26T15:36:12","slug":"what-i-learned-as-a-buddys-place-volunteer","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pillarscommunityhealth.org\/es\/what-i-learned-as-a-buddys-place-volunteer\/","title":{"rendered":"What I Learned as A Buddy\u2019s Place Volunteer"},"content":{"rendered":"

Grief is the reason I give back.<\/span><\/b> I\u2019ve come to realize that most people who volunteer have a personal story driving them. For me, it\u2019s grief. But what moved me from \u201cthinking about it\u201d to actually signing up was a conversation with my coworker Ellen. She shared how much her time as a Buddy\u2019s Place volunteer meant to her, and the passion in her voice stayed with me. Hearing her experience\u2014and reflecting on my own losses\u2014made me feel compelled to be part of it myself.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In February 2025, I started training to become a volunteer at <\/span>Buddy’s Place<\/span><\/b><\/a>, Pillars Community Health\u2019s bereavement program for children and teens aged 4\u201318. During training, I joined nine other volunteers in learning about the history and mission of Buddy\u2019s Place. We explored the program\u2019s core offerings\u2014monthly gatherings, eight-week sessions, and special events\u2014and how each one creates space for families to navigate loss together.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One thing that struck me right away was the program\u2019s flexibility. Families can stay involved for as long as they need\u2014some repeat eight-week sessions back-to-back, while others return months or years later as their children grow and their needs change. Monthly gatherings are offered year-round, giving families a steady place to find community and support.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

During training, one of the most important lessons I learned is that grief is a natural process with no timeline or single \u201cright\u201d way to experience it. Every individual\u2019s journey is unique. I carried that lesson with me as I stepped into my first role as co-facilitator for an eight-week session in spring 2025.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Over those weeks, I watched families\u2014many meeting for the first time\u2014gradually open up and connect, even if some missed sessions or didn\u2019t attend every week. Through art, conversation, and other activities, children and teens came together to talk about death, share their feelings, support and comfort each other, cry and laugh together, welcome newcomers, develop coping skills, and find ways to express themselves and grow.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some were more willing to share than others and some chose to listen, but you could tell everyone cared for one another\u2014and everyone participated in their own way. By the end of the session, strangers had become friends. Many even exchanged phone numbers, wanting to maintain those connections beyond our time together.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

One moment that has stayed with me was watching a quiet 10-year-old who rarely spoke in the first sessions proudly share a drawing of her loved one by the final week. Her peers listened intently, nodded in understanding, and clapped when she finished. It was a simple moment, but it reflected the heart of Buddy\u2019s Place: creating safe spaces where grief can be expressed, witnessed, and honored.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

I believe everyone left with a deeper understanding of grief\u2014and hopefully learned something new along the way. My biggest takeaway is that programs like Buddy\u2019s Place are essential, offering people opportunities to grieve together rather than alone. After completing my first session as a co-facilitator, I walked away with a better understanding of grief and an even greater appreciation for this program. I learned from my fellow volunteers\u2014both new like me and those who have been serving for 20 years or more.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

For 25 years, families have found comfort, resilience, and hope through Buddy\u2019s Place. Being part of this community has been both humbling and joyful, giving me space to reflect on my own grief and to support children, teens, and their families through theirs. I\u2019m so happy about my decision to become a Buddy\u2019s Place volunteer\u2014and I\u2019ll always be thankful to Ellen for nudging me toward this journey.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Maybe your reason to give back is different\u2014gratitude, hope, or simply wanting children to have the support you wish you\u2019d had. Whatever your \u201cwhy,\u201d Buddy\u2019s Place is a community where it matters.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Join us as a volunteer and help children and families find healing together. Learn more at https:\/\/pillarscommunityhealth.org\/get-involved\/volunteer\/#volunteer-application.<\/a><\/span><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At Buddy\u2019s Place, I\u2019ve seen how even small moments of connection can help families navigate grief and find comfort together.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":28,"featured_media":22591,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"none","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"At Buddy\u2019s Place, I\u2019ve seen how even small moments of connection can help families navigate grief and find comfort 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