Willow Center Inc

The Willow Center is a free children’s bereavement program for children/teens, ages 3-18 yrs., who have experienced the death of someone close to them. We are the only program of this type between Boise and Spokane, and receive referrals from schools, hospices, health care providers and families/friends. Twenty five years ago children were “invisible grievers”. Many felt that they needed to protect kids from the reality of the loss by denying the tears and emotional fall out, and by withholding valuable information regarding the death. Grief can be so isolating for children and adults. We know that children with unresolved grief are at risk for depression, substance abuse, poor academic performance, poverty, and suicide.  Willow Center provides a safe place for children and teens to tell their story, explore their feelings, and expand thier coping skills.  The Willow Center program model facilitates the expression of feelings and emotions, increases the understanding of death, loss and the grieving process, and decreases feelings of isolation that often come with grief. 

Willow Center’s Impact

 "When I was eight, I experienced the death of an older sibling. My mom started taking me to Willow Center because I was very sad. The people at Willow Center immediately started helping me with my grief. Whether it was the fun crafts or getting to know all of the volunteers and kids, it helped me realize that other kids my age are sometimes going through a similar situation.  Since then, I have lost a friend and a grandparent. Willow Center has been with me along the way as I struggled through more grief.  I also got the opportunity to experience going to Camp Erin. At Camp, I got to make keepsakes honoring my loved ones. I got to meet awesome cabin mates my age who had been in similar situations. We got to share our feelings about our losses, cry together, laugh together, and do fun activities together.  The important thing I learned from Willow is that everybody grieves at their own pace.  Even though we will never forget our losses, we know that we will be OK."                                                                                                ~Cassidy A., Child Participant

 "Attending Willow Center has taught me a great deal about my child's journey through grief, as well as my own.  It has been invaluable to realize that children grieve in phases and stages, may regress when faced with seemingly unrelated challenges in their lives, and often use nonverbal means, such as play or even aggression, to express emotions because they do not yet have all of the words or maturity to express their feelings verbally. It is an honor to meet with other parents who are brave enough to seek support and make the emotional well being of their children such a priority.  Thank you to the many volunteers who dedicate hours and hours to meet a very real need in our community."  

 ~Michelle A., Adult Participant