In April, a small group of individuals met to talk about bereavement services being offered in our area. We identified that there are currently two ongoing support groups. One through the Omega House (3rd Thursday, 5 to 6 p.m.) and one through Portage Hospice and Homecare (1st Tuesday, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.). Portage also offers Grief Speak, an informative 20to 30 minute opportunity to learn about grief (2nd Tuesday, 7 or 9 p.m. EST). Additionally, Bethany Baptist Church offers a 13-week educational GriefShare program several times a year (next session starts September 2021). All offerings are free and open to anyone within the community.

There are lending libraries at the Omega House and Portage Hospice and Homecare that include books, loss specific pamphlets, CDs, and DVDs. You can contact them directly to arrange to pick up resources. The Omega House and the Community Coalition on Grief and Bereavement also have grief and bereavement resource information linked to their home page including a recommended reading list.

For school aged children, the Omega House in conjunction with an MTU student group and through a Portage Health Foundation Grant developed “Husky Hugs.” The Husky Hugs’ bag includes age-appropriate information, worksheets, and resources to assist grieving children and families. These bags provide a valuable resource to our grieving families. To access kits, contact your child’s guidance counselor or the Omega House.

A backbone of our grief support since 1996 is the Community Coalition on Grief and Bereavement. The mission of the Coalition is to provide grief education, support, and referrals. To this end, the Coalition hosts a yearly program with a national speaker, provides follow up programs, reading materials on grief, and personal contact if requested.

For more information on resources including a list of individual and family counselors, call Dial Help.

Resource Contacts: Community Coalition on Grief and Bereavement: https://grief-ccgb.org

Dial Help: 906 – 482- 4357

GriefShare: Joni Bennett 934-6770; Rob or Tonya Rowe 482-7511

Omega House: 906-482-4438; www.omega-house.org

Omega House Grief Support: Cynthia Drake 906-370-6686 (call/text); cynthia.drake@omega-house.org Portage Health and Hospice: Julie Beck 906-483-1160; julie.beck@lhcgroup.com