Week of 6/8/25

Father’s Day When Things Are Different

Father’s Day can hit hard when life has shifted in ways you never imagined. For dads who have experienced the death of a child, the day can feel complicated. So many dads spend their lives trying to fix things, to protect, to hold their families together. And after a death, when there’s no “fixing” the pain, so many are left feeling helpless. It’s also a hard day for those grieving their own dads or their children’s dads. Whether your relationship was close, strained or somewhere in between, this day can stir up more than most people realize. There are a lot of different types of Father’s Day grief. It’s complicated for sure.

What is something you can do? Sometimes it’s the smallest things that carry the deepest connection. In our house, my husband drinks from a coffee cup that Nick gave him. He does it on these special days. It’s quiet and simple, but it matters. That cup holds love. Memory. Presence. Maybe this is a good week to pull out something they gave you, something they touched, something they loved or you think they would love. Hold it. Use it. Let it remind you they’re still part of you.

Want some extra support or a place to just be during this week leading up to Father’s Day? Join in the Men’s Zoom Meeting on Monday, The NE Revs Game on Saturday or a Special Father’s Day Zoom gathering next Sunday.

Watch more: Father’s Day Grief with David Kessler

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

MONTHLY CALENDAR

You can view the new calendar here. This is where you will get the zoom links and location information! I’ve made a short tutorial for how to find the meeting & event info using a laptop or desktop. Watch that here. NEW: You can also download it as an app on your phone or ipad. Learn more here or watch here.

THIS WEEK’S MEETINGS UPDATES

• Men’s group is meeting on Monday 6/9/25 due to Fishing Trip.

• Extra Grieving Grandparents on Thursday 6/12/25.

• Kingston MA in-person cancelled this month.

NEW MEETING ALERT

Announcing a new peer grief support group specifically for People in Recovery in TAUNTON MA. This in-person group welcomes anyone 18+ who identifies as being in recovery from any substance, including alcohol who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use related causes.

Location: The Taunton Peer Recovery Center

1 Washington St Taunton MA
When: Third Monday of each month (Starts 6/16/25)

Time: 2:00-3:30pm ET

Facilitator: Carol Bowers

UPCOMING TSWR & SADOD ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

The Sun Will Rise Night at the New England Revolution Soccer Game! June 14, 2025 7:30 PM Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA. Free game plus a $ free t-shirt and a $25 gift card to Gillette Stadium for mechandise and food. All ages are welcome! Join us at Gillette Stadium to watch the New England Revolution take on their opponents FC Cincinnati! The event is free to you, but to secure your spot, please RESERVE YOUR TICKETS HERE. Questions? Please email robyn@thesunwillrise.org

Father’s Day Zoom June 15, 2025 8:00 pm ET Special Father’s Day evening zoom facilitated by Don Lipstein.

NEW VIRTUAL EVENT! Exploring Loss Through Mindful Doodling June 19, 2025 7:00 pm ET Grief is a complex, personal journey and sometimes words aren’t enough to capture the emotions we experience. Join us to discover the peaceful art of doodling combined with some writing prompts as a way to gently process grief.  In this guided session where we’ll use simple, creative exercises to bring feelings to life on paper, finding comfort and clarity in the process. The act of doodling, often spontaneous and free, will serve as a form of meditation, helping to release tension, quiet the mind, and foster self-compassion. This is also an opportunity to write about a person, animal, relationship, or place that we miss in a supportive group session. No previous art experience is needed. This workshop focuses on personal expression, not artistic skill, and offers a safe, non-judgmental space to honor your emotions. Presented by Cara Bean, cartoonist, art educator and author of Here I Am, I Am Me. REGISTER HERE!

NEW EVENT! Pot Luck Picnic Sunday June 29, 2025 12:00 pm. Walpole MA Join us for an enjoyable day in nature at Francis William Bird Park. We will enjoy a relaxed afternoon in the sun or shade at this lovely country park setting, boasting 2 ponds, paved walking paths, picnic tables, bridges and a playground. We ask that each person or small group bring a dish for the picnic. A salad, chips, main course, or dessert. It could be your person’s favorite food! Bring lawn chairs or a blanket for sitting as there is a limited amount of seating at the picnic tables. We will have outdoor games available for group activities.  We’ll also walk the paths as a group or individuals if we choose and “Call Their Names” and share our stories. Bring yourself, your family, your dog (with leash), children, grandchildren, friends. Dress for a day at the park. Take bug spray. We will supply drinks and water and plates, utensils, etc. If you play a guitar, bring it! Register to let us know what you are bringing.

FEEDBACK NEEDED FOR OUR IOAD EVENT

Please complete this quick 5 question survey about the annual International Overdose Awareness Ceremony to be held in Braintree MA. Survey closes 6/10/25.

Men’s BBQ

The 2nd Annual Men’s BBQ hosted by Gilly’s House was a great day of good food, cornhole and companionship! Speakers, David Swindell, Glen Lord & David Gillmeister shared their stories of finding hope while living with grief. We are always proud to sponsor this event!

COMMUNITY VISITS

A fabulous visit by Leslie Lagos & Franklin Cook to Core Recovery Center in Gloucester. We have now two grief groups at this location! One facilitated by Gordon & Colleen Bullard, for anyone 18+ and one facilitated by Melissa Lezynski & Rebecca Murray for People in Recovery.

OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS LISTENING SESSION

You are invited to an upcoming Listening Session on Thursday, June 12th from 5-7:30 pm where you can share how you’d like the state to spend its portion of the Opioid Settlement Funds. This meeting, one in a series of regional listening sessions, will take place in Plymouth and virtually. You’ll have an opportunity to learn about the settlement agreement and then provide comment. Register here or drop in. This is a great opportunity to have your voice heard.

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

LOOKING FOR THE ZOOM LINKS & MEETING INFO? CLICK HERE

https://www.thesunwillrise.org/meetingcalendar

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email? Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

Want to volunteer for The Sun Will Rise? Sign up here!

Click here to view past newsletters on our website

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

Week of 6/1/25

Finding What You Need, When You Need It

Grief can make it hard to plan. Hard to remember. Hard to show up. We know that. Some days you need connection. Some days you need quiet. And some days, you just want to know what’s happening without having to dig for it. That’s why we’ve created a new calendar page where all of our support group meetings, zoom links, flyers, events and activities live in one simple place. You can check it by day, week, or month. Whatever feels most manageable. It’s easy to use and updated regularly.

You can view the new calendar here. This is where you will get the zoom links!

I’ve made a short tutorial for how to find the meeting & event info. Watch that here.

We hope this helps make it just a little easier to find support on the days when everything feels like too much. Take a look. Bookmark it. And if you see anything missing or confusing, just reach out.

Read more about why having a support system and plaaning ahead can be beneficial in coping with grief.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

MEETINGS UPDATES

• THE TAUNTON MA REGULAR MEETING IS CANCELLED GOING FORWARD. REPLACED BY NEW BROCKTON MA MEETING

NEW MEETING ALERTS

Announcing a new general in-person peer grief support group starting this week in Brockton, MA, for anyone 18+ who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use related causes.

Location: Stairway to Recovery, 90 Main Street
When: First Wednesday of each month
Time: 7:00–8:00 PM ET

Facilitator: Sandra Chase

Please join this new safe, compassionate space to connect and share!

We’re also launching a new peer grief support group specifically for People in Recovery in GLOUCESTER MA. This in-person group welcomes anyone 18+ who identifies as being in recovery from any substance, including alcohol who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use related causes.

Location: Core Peer Recovery & Resource Center, 11–15 Parker St
When: Third Monday of each month (Starts 6/16/25)

Time:10:30–11:30 AM ET

Facilitators: Melissa Lezynski & Rebecca Murray

No judgment. No expectations. Come as you are.

MEET THE NEW PEOPLE IN RECOVERY FACILITATORS

Rebecca Murray is the Programming & Membership Coordinator at Core Peer Recovery. From Rebecca: I have a deep interest in helping and supporting others in recovery who are also struggling with grief of their own, as I am both in long term recovery, and have lost many people in my life to overdose.The one person I really "do it all for" today, who continues to inspire me to support my community and take care of myself, too, is my ex husband and best friend, Mick. Mick was my rock, my confidant, and always helped to keep me grounded and grateful. He was also my biggest source of laughter! Although our marriage had not worked out, our friendship certainly did. We shared a beautiful black lab, Gussie, and lived onto two houses apart from each other. Mick still came over for birthdays and holidays and remained very much a part of my family and was definitely loved like family. We spoke nearly every day. Mick was in long term recovery; he had even celebrated 17 years of abstinence. I was so honored and touched to be a part of that. Somewhere along the way, Mick had lost touch with his recovery and picked up substances again to attempt to cope with some difficult things in his life. Despite being a total force and one of the most intelligent people I'd known, he lost his battle with addiction in June of 2023. I will never have another friend like Mick and am grateful every day that he was put in my life. Still, the grief has been totally debilitating at times. Addiction and overdose are capable of shaking any group, any family, and any person. I truly believe that we are all worthy and deserving of support in getting better and in processing our very real grief and emotions. Humans are built for connection, we thrive in feeling connected, cared for and listened to, and in knowing this I feel so lucky to be able to be a part of that connection today.

Melissa Lezynski is a Peer Grief Specialist & RIZE HR Project Manager at Peer Support Community Partners. From Melissa: Although I have always felt called to serve the marginalized populations working with people experiencing SUD, homelessness, poverty etc... I do what I do now in loving memory of my Beloved Son Sean Steven who we lost to an overdose August 13th, 2023. Sean was my only son and truly such a part of my soul I am no longer whole. I knew if I was going to survive this, I would have to change what I was doing for work. I had to immerse myself in the world of grief because I truly had no room for anything else. Having a peer grief support group for anyone who considers themselves in recovery (whatever that means for you) has been on my to do list since Sean died. Grief had such an impact on him when he lost his grandmother at 11 years old. There was no support for him, and I was just a young mom who did what I could, but he needed more. Grief continued to pile up for him and all of us as overdose deaths rose and demolished his classmates and our family. We lost 2 of my nephews before Sean as well as a cousin and so many others. I didn't know there was a place where grief was welcome. I'm so grateful to have found this world of peer grief support when I didn't think I could make it another minute. That gratitude extends to the honor of starting this "Come as you are" group. Sean never cared what you were wearing, what you looked like, what you had. If you needed help, he helped. If he couldn't, he asked me to. So, it is such an honor to create a space where folks can come and share their grief journey without stigma, judgement or conditions. Just show up. We all need to be seen and heard just as we are.

FEEDBACK NEEDED FOR OUR IOAD EVENT

Please complete this quick 5 question survey about the annual International Overdose Awareness Ceremony to be held in Braintree MA. Survey closes 6/10/25.

UPCOMING TSWR & SADOD ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Gilly’s House is hosting it’s second annual Men’s BBQ, Sunday June 8th 1:00 pm ET Wrentham MA. This is for any man, bereaved due to substance use related causes or suicide. Sign up here. Scroll down on the sign up form for an available spot. Any questions, please reach out to Maureen Cappuccino maureen@gillyshouse.com or Dave Swindell at david@thesunwillrise.org Please share with any men who you think may benefit being around other men who understand.

The Sun Will Rise Night at the New England Revolution Soccer Game! June 14, 2025 7:30 PM Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA. Limit 5 tickets per family. All ages are welcome! We are excited to invite you to a special evening at Gillette Stadium to watch the New England Revolution take on their opponents FC Cincinnati! The event is free to you, but to secure your spot, please RESERVE YOUR TICKETS HERE. As with previous events, we are requiring a $20 deposit to hold your tickets. You will receive the full amount back in cash at the event. Please note that if you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days notice, the ticket is non-refundable and you will not receive your deposit back. This policy helps us continue to offer events like this at no cost to you. Thank you for your understanding. Questions? Please email robyn@thesunwillrise.org

June 15, 2025 8:00 pm ET Father’s Day Zoom Mark your calendars for a special Father’s Day evening zoom facilitated by Don Lipstein.

OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS LISTENING SESSION

You are invited to an upcoming Listening Session on Thursday, June 12th from 5-7:30 pm where you can share how you’d like the state to spend its portion of the Opioid Settlement Funds. This meeting, one in a series of regional listening sessions, will take place in Plymouth and virtually. You’ll have an opportunity to learn about the settlement agreement and then provide comment. Register here or drop in. This is a great opportunity to have your voice heard.

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

LOOKING FOR THE ZOOM LINKS & MEETING INFO? GO BACK TO THE FIRST SECTION FOR INFO ABOUT THE NEW WAY TO ACCESS THEM! YOU WILL USE THE MEETING CALENDAR PAGE ON OUR WEBSITE GOING FORWARD.

https://www.thesunwillrise.org/meetingcalendar

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email? Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

Want to volunteer for The Sun Will Rise? Sign up here!

Click here to view past newsletters on our website

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

Week of 5/25/25

Grief humor…

Grief is weird. It can knock you flat one minute and then, somehow, make you laugh the next. I still remember someone asking me very early on if I had thought about “channeling my grief into yoga.” I hadn’t showered in a week and was eating a saltines over the sink as my only meal of the day. I remember I said something like, “Right after I start breathing with intention and stop primal screaming in the shower.” It was sarcastic and dark. And it made me laugh. The person looked at me and I don’t know if they knew what to think. But somehow that weird humor helped me a little. If you’ve ever laughed at something you think you shouldn’t have or found comfort in a meme that made you snort, you aren’t alone. Sometimes laughter is the release that gets helps us get through.

A little dark humor for anyone who wants to read more.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

WEEKLY CALENDAR~ZOOM LINKS BELOW

THE CARE & COMPASSION WERE FELT THIS WEEK

Just a few of the special moments people sent in. Thanks for taking a moment to see the awe and wonder and to remember.

FEEDBACK NEEDED FOR OUR IOAD EVENT

Please complete this quick 5 question survey about the annual International Overdose Awareness Ceremony to be held in Braintree MA.

THE SUN WILL RISE OUT AND ABOUT IN THE COMMUNITY

UPCOMING TSWR & SADOD ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

SADOD’s psychoeducational workshop, Holistic Healing for Grief, Tuesday, May 27th, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM ZOOM. In this workshop, Jean Bradley, reiki master, energy medicine practitioner and bereaved person, will discuss her experiences incorporating reiki, reflexology, and the use of essential oils in her grief journey and how these have helped her. This workshop will provide an overview on what these practices are and how one might get started. Please note that none of these practices will be formally conducted in this educational workshop. Register at bit.ly/holistic-healing-workshop. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org

Gilly’s House is hosting it’s second annual Men’s BBQ, Sunday June 8th 1:00 pm ET Wrentham MA. This is for any man, bereaved due to substance use related causes or suicide. Sign up here. Scroll down on the sign up form for an available spot. Any questions, please reach out to Maureen Cappuccino maureen@gillyshouse.com or Dave Swindell at david@thesunwillrise.org Please share with any men who you think may benefit being around other men who understand.

The Sun Will Rise Night at the New England Revolution Soccer Game! June 14, 2025 7:30 PM Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA. We have 50 tickets available for our group! 5 tickets per family. All ages are welcome! We are excited to invite you to a special evening at Gillette Stadium to watch the New England Revolution take on their opponents FC Cincinnati! This is a fantastic opportunity to come together, connect with others and enjoy a thrilling soccer game. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to the sport, this event promises to be a fun and exciting outing for all ages.A huge thanks to the generocity of the Highland Street Foundation for this wonderful opportunity! The event is free to you, but to secure your spot, please RESERVE YOUR TICKETS HERE. As with previous events, we are requiring a $20 deposit to hold your tickets. You will receive the full amount back in cash at the event. Please note that if you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days' notice, the ticket is non-refundable and you will not receive your deposit back. This policy helps us continue to offer events like this at no cost to you. Thank you for your understanding. Questions? Please email robyn@thesunwillrise.org

June 15, 2025 8:00 pm ET Father’s Day Zoom Mark your calendars for a special Father’s Day evening zoom facilitated by Don Lipstein.

OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUNDS LISTENING SESSION

You are invited to an upcoming Listening Session on Thursday, June 12th from 5-7:30 pm where you can share how you’d like the state to spend its portion of the Opioid Settlement Funds. This meeting, one in a series of regional listening sessions, will take place in Plymouth and virtually. You’ll have an opportunity to learn about the settlement agreement and then provide comment. Register here or drop in. This is a great opportunity to have your voice heard.

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

MEETINGS UPDATES

• MONDAY 7:00 PM ET REGULAR ZOOM CANCELLED DUE TO HOLIDAY

• MONDAY 9:00 PM ET REGULAR ZOOM IS MEETING THIS WEEK

• FAITH BASED HOPE AFTER LOSS CANCELLED DUE TO HOLIDAY

• SUNDAY IN-PERSON MOVING FORWARD PARENT MEETING IN N. ATTLEBORO CANCELLED

• NEW CALENDAR FORMAT COMING FOR JUNE!

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Monday - LATE EVENING PEER GRIEF SUPPORT ZOOM - 5/26/25 9-10:30 ET.

Randi Schalet facilitating.

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/94390650873?pwd=QCnk9cqJwOQvs2u2jkUPRgXUpFT5D7.1

Meeting ID: 943 9065 0873

Passcode: 578972

One tap mobile 13126266799

_______________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, BRIDGEWATER, MA 5/27/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET.

Natalie Patricio facilitating.

Trinity Episcopal Church 91 Main St Bridgewater MA

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

___________________

Tuesday - MEN’S ONLY - ZOOM 5/27/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Dave Swindell and Gary Carter facilitating. 

For men 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/96961980647?pwd=cFVTMHR3VE9COGc3UGdIZHo4TWVaZz09#success

Meeting ID: 969 6198 0647

Password: 300626 or One tap mobile 16465588656

_______________

Tuesday - PARTNER & SPOUSE - ZOOM 5/27/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Kar-Kate Parenteau facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of a partner, spouse or significant other due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86578435343?pwd=avNFpCQpiLGCsKRKFEsexJj7E87gM5.1

Meeting ID: 865 7843 5343

Passcode: 287422 or

One tap mobile: 13052241968

_______________

Tuesday - LEARNING TO COPE WITH GRIEF MEETING - IN-PERSON & ZOOM, GLOUCESTER, MA  5/27/25 7:00-8:00 pm ET. 

Melissa Lezynski (filling in for Colleen and Gordon Bullard) facilitating. 

CORE Peer Recovery and Resource Center 11 - 15 Parker Street, Gloucester, MA

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83349371338?pwd=RXM5RnRINGJKL21HTFhiSVYyR1NCdz09

Meeting ID: 833 4937 1338

Passcode: 560270

__________________

Wednesday - PEOPLE IN RECOVERY - ZOOM 5/28/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Leslie Lagos facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who identifies as being in recovery from any substance including alcohol who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86324167889?pwd=nrGKjzkr7MyLBnQBfLoUj9Sc43O1r6.1

Meeting ID: 863 2416 7889

Passcode: 428961

One tap mobile 13052241968

_______________________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, EAST BOSTON, MA 5/28/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Rose Stone facilitating. 

Recovery on the Harbor, 983 Bennington Street, East Boston, MA.  

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

CLICK HERE FOR FUTURE MEETING DATES

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email? Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

Want to volunteer for The Sun Will Rise? Sign up here!

To view past newsletters on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

Week of 5/18/25

In Awe, For Nick

This Friday, May 23rd, marks ten years without my son Nick. Exhale. Cue my anxiety. Ten years of missing him, loving him, grieving him, learning to live without his physical presence and doing whatever I can to honor the light he left behind. The Sun Will Rise wouldn’t exist without Nick. His life and his death are at the heart of everything I do. And even though most of you never knew Nick, you experience this community we have all built together after the deaths of the people we’ve known and loved. You are all part of his story, my story, our story. And my story is not unique, so many of our facilitators, team and group members were inspired to do something to help others because of the death of their person.

To mark this 10 year anniversary of his death, I’m inviting you to pause for a moment of awe or wonder sometime on Friday. Wherever you are whether inside or outside, notice something. Something beautiful, strange, calming, vibrant, eye catching or anything that makes you pause. A burst of color, a bird flying overhead, a reflection in a puddle, a glimpse of light through the clouds. If something stops you in your tracks, take a photo and send it my way by replying to this email. I’ll be gathering them as a small tribute to Nick and those we hold in our heart. And to the community, healing, supportiveness and connection The Sun Will Rise continues to inspire in all of us.

Thank you for holding space with me on this upcoming difficult Friday and every day.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

WEEKLY CALENDAR~ZOOM LINKS BELOW

DEER ISLAND

Although there were only a few people who made it to our Deer Island walk, we were able to have a great conversation about our struggles and healing process. Our best moments were calling our loved ones names to the world while we tossed a stone into the waves! “Geoffrey, Jeffrey and Nelson ” We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect moment together. ~ Judy

GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN CONFERENCE

What a great showing at the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Conference! Do you know an event we should attend to let people know about our peer grief support? Let us know! PIctured at The Sun Will Rise Resource Table: Cheryl Juaire, David Swindell & Kerry Bickford.

UPCOMING TSWR & SADOD ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

SADOD’s psychoeducational workshop, Holistic Healing for Grief, Tuesday, May 27th, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM ZOOM. In this workshop, Jean Bradley, reiki master, energy medicine practitioner and bereaved person, will discuss her experiences incorporating reiki, reflexology, and the use of essential oils in her grief journey and how these have helped her. This workshop will provide an overview on what these practices are and how one might get started. Please note that none of these practices will be formally conducted in this educational workshop. Register at bit.ly/holistic-healing-workshop. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org

Gilly’s House is hosting it’s second annual Men’s BBQ, Sunday June 8th 1:00 pm ET Wrentham MA. This is for any man, bereaved due to substance use related causes or suicide. Sign up here. Scroll for an available spot. Any questions, please reach out to Maureen Cappuccino maureen@gillyshouse.com or Dave Swindell at david@thesunwillrise.org Please share with any men who you think may benefit being around other men who understand.

NEW EVENT! The Sun Will Rise Night at the New England Revolution Soccer Game! June 14, 2025 7:30 PM Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MA. We have 50 tickets available for our group! 5 tickets per family. All ages are welcome! We are excited to invite you to a special evening at Gillette Stadium to watch the New England Revolution take on their opponents FC Cincinnati! This is a fantastic opportunity to come together, connect with others and enjoy a thrilling soccer game. Whether you’re a lifelong fan or new to the sport, this event promises to be a fun and exciting outing for all ages.A huge thanks to the generocity of the Highland Street Foundation for this wonderful opportunity! The event is free to you, but to secure your spot, please RESERVE YOUR TICKETS HERE. As with previous events, we are requiring a $20 deposit to hold your tickets. You will receive the full amount back in cash at the event. Please note that if you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days' notice, the ticket is non-refundable and you will not receive your deposit back. This policy helps us continue to offer events like this at no cost to you. Thank you for your understanding. Questions? Please email robyn@thesunwillrise.org

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

MEETINGS UPDATES

LATE EVENING ZOOM MEETING THE 4TH MONDAY THIS MONTH

NATALIE PATRICIO FILLING IN FOR MIRIAH AT THE SIBLING MEETING

LGBTQ MEETING ON PAUSE UNTIL JULY

NEW CALENDAR FORMAT COMING FOR JUNE!

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Monday - GRIEVING GRANDPARENTS - ZOOM  5/19/25 12:00-1:00 pm ET.

Kerry Bickford facilitating.

For grandparents that have experienced the death or estrangement of a grandchild due to substance use (theirs or their parents.)  The focus of this Monday  group will be on the grandparent.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2334755647

Meeting ID: 233 475 5647 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

___________________

Monday - JOURNEY TO HOPE-PEER GRIEF SUPPORT FOR PARENTS - ZOOM 5/19/25 6:00-7:00 pm ET.

Gail Langley & Robyn Stokowski facilitating.

For parents who have experienced the death of a child due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/94114510999?pwd=XPycxdOzIsNYzFy58Jk3VW7a4lG4Wd.1

Meeting ID: 941 1451 0999

Passcode: 953667

One tap mobile 16469313860

______________

Monday - IN-PERSON, WEYMOUTH MA 5/19/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET.

Darlene Mersereau facilitating. 

Crossroads Church, 241 Broad Street, Weymouth, MA

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

______________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, WINTHROP, MA 5/20/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET.

JoAnn Rivieccio facilitating. 

Odd Fellows Hall 196 Winthrop Street, Winthrop, MA 

(side entrance facing parking lot )

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

___________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, MATTHEW’S CANDLE, HANSON, MA 5/20/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET.

Mary Peckham facilitating.

Calvary Baptist Church, 429 Monponsett Street, Hanson, MA.

For anyone 18+ over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_______________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, QUINCY, MA 5/20/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET.

Robyn Houston-Bean facilitating.

New Way Recovery, 85 Quincy Avenue, Quincy, MA

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_________

Wednesday -PEOPLE IN RECOVERY - IN-PERSON & ZOOM (HYBRID), WEYMOUTH, MA 5/21/25 12:00-1:30 pm ET.

Leslie Lagos facilitating.

Wey of Life Peer Recovery Center, 383 Bridge Street, Weymouth, MA.

For anyone 18 and over who identifies as being in recovery from any substance including alcohol who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/94390650873?pwd=QCnk9cqJwOQvs2u2jkUPRgXUpFT5D7.1

Meeting ID: 943 9065 0873

Passcode: 578972 or

One tap mobile 13126266799

___________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, CHARLESTOWN, MA 5/21/25 6:00-7:00 pm ET. 

Shannon Lundin & Michael Cain facilitating. 

St. John’s Church  27 Devens St 2nd Floor Charlestown MA

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

__________________

Wednesday - ZOOM 5/21/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET.

Karen Walsh and Rachel Solomon facilitating.

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86470429283

_______________

Wednesday - SIBLING ZOOM 5/21/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Natalie Patricio (filling in for Miriah Corso) facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of a sibling due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/91057287038?pwd=qKbgbuozZFcFa71pTABInGWltLu5Eb.1

Meeting ID: 910 5728 7038

Passcode: 380399 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

__________

Thursday- NEW BEGINNINGS GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP - ZOOM 5/22/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET.

Janice Kaplan facilitating.

For anyone 18 and over newly bereaved due to substance use related causes and/or new to The Sun Will Rise Foundation.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/93853426722?pwd=zhxz5RYig8tunxUyGp6K8Uk19XKxgw.1

Meeting ID: 938 5342 6722

Passcode: 756069 or

One tap mobile 13017158592

_____________

Thursday - IN-PERSON, BRIGHTON, MA 5/22/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET.

Liz Driscoll facilitating. 

PSF Community Center, 640 Washington Street, New Balance Room, Lower Level, Brighton, MA.

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

CLICK HERE FOR FUTURE MEETING DATES

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email? Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

Want to volunteer for The Sun Will Rise? Sign up here!

To view past newsletters on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

Week of 5/11/25

LET’S GO FOR A WALK TOGETHER…FOR THEM, FOR US

Grief weighs on us in so many ways, but something powerful happens when we move our bodies and do it together. That’s why we’re so excited for the next Call Their Name Event in Winthrop MA this Sunday. It’s not just a stroll, it’s connection, remembrance and healing in motion.

I still remember the first time I joined a walk like this. It was a hike up Big Blue Hill. I didn’t know what to expect. But hearing our peoples names called out loud, feeling the rhythm of feet beside mine, being surrounded by people who got it, was super powerful. I left feeling a little more grounded and a little less alone. Movement matters. It shifts something. Science backs that up too! Studies show that physical activity can ease grief symptoms, help regulate emotions and even build resilience over time.

So let’s go. Let’s walk. Let’s say their names. Bring a friend. Bring your dog. Bring your grief. Just come. Here’s the details.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

CAMP HAPPY PLACE

Camp Happy Place will serve 30 campers ages 9-12 who have suffered the death of a parent to substance use related causes. They will enjoy three nights and four days experiencing all the activities of a typical overnight summer camp, sports, arts and crafts, campfires, talent shows, swimming and outdoor adventures such as climbing walls and ropes courses led by experienced staff. Set among 100 acres at the foothills of the magnificent Berkshire Mountains. Sign up here.

Info about other camp & programs.

TEAM SHARING 5K

Rain couldn’t dampen the spirits of the runners, walkers and attendees of the Team Sharing, Remembering Our Angels 5K. What a beautiful display of remembrance, support and community!

MOTHER’S DAY LUMINARA WORKSHOP

Incredibly wonderful! These were the words used to describe the luminara making workshop. The lovingly made pieces still need to be fired, but here is a glimpse into the day. Join us at one our next events to build a stronger grief support community for everyone.

SURVEY

The MA Substance Use Helpline (the Helpline) and the You Can Save a Life initiative (You Can) are looking to hear feedback about what they are doing well, what they could be doing better, what people know about the Helpline and You Can, and how people use their websites and other services. They want to hear from our current members and have put together a short, anonymous survey where you can share your input and experiences. Please spend 5-10 minutes to share your opinions! Take the survey If you choose to participate in this survey, you will have the option to enter a drawing for a chance to win one of eight $50 electronic gift cards. Thank you for taking the time to share your opinions and experiences!

UPCOMING TSWR & SADOD ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Sunday, May 18, 2025 11:00 AM CALL THER NAME WALK Winthrop MA Enjoy a group walk together where we share our stories, fill the air with our loved one’s names and find a bit of tranquility with a stroll on Deer Island while overlooking the Boston skyline. This walk has a flatter paved walking surface. Please join in to meet other group members! No cost, no depost. Sign up here so we now who is coming. Link to locate entrance gate. No entrance fee. About Deer Island. For any questions please contact Judy Kelly at judyannkelly@gmail.com 781-264-0557

SADOD’s psychoeducational workshop, Holistic Healing for Grief, Tuesday, May 27th, from 6:30 PM to 8:00 PM ZOOM. In this workshop, Jean Bradley, reiki master, energy medicine practitioner and bereaved person, will discuss her experiences incorporating reiki, reflexology, and the use of essential oils in her grief journey and how these have helped her. This workshop will provide an overview on what these practices are and how one might get started. Please note that none of these practices will be formally conducted in this educational workshop. Register at bit.ly/holistic-healing-workshop. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org

Gilly’s House is hosting it’s second annual Men’s BBQ, Sunday June 8th 1:00 pm ET Wrentham MA. This is for any man, bereaved due to substance use related causes or suicide. Sign up here. Scroll for an available spot. Any questions, please reach out to Maureen Cappuccino maureen@gillyshouse.com or Dave Swindell at david@thesunwillrise.org Please share with any men who you think may benefit being around other men who understand.

HEALING THROUGH WONDER

The Healing Through Wonder Project is a storytelling collaboration. Together, we explore powerful stories of healing sparked by moments of awe and wonder. Through intimate conversations with our guests, we uncover how these extraordinary experiences have shaped their journeys through trauma, substance use and/or grief and how wonder can open a path to resilience and transformation. Watch the storytelling videos and join our youtube channel here! We are taping new videos for this project now. Sign-up here to share your stories with us, we would love to talk to you!

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

MEETINGS UPDATES

• NATHAN’S CIRCLE W. BARNSTABLE MA - NO MEETING IN MAY

• YOUNG PEOPLE MEETING THIS WEEK INSTEAD OF LAST SUNDAY OF THE MONTH

• NEW CALENDAR FORMAT COMING FOR JUNE!

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Monday - Christian Faith Based Hope After Loss- IN-PERSON MARLBOROUGH, MA 5/12/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET.

Cheryl Juaire facilitating. 

Greater Grace Christian Fellowship, 187 Pleasant St Marlborough MA.  

For anyone 18 and over of the Christian faith who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_____________  

Monday - MOM’S ONLY - ZOOM 5/12/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Tracy Carter and Karen Swindell facilitating.

For mothers who have experienced the death of a child(ren) due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81904227569?pwd=YnSJwFTN6DFsHTYnPhfMHqUue9ZaL9.1

Meeting ID: 819 0422 7569

Passcode: 807237 or

One tap mobile 13052241968

________________

Monday - SUICIDE RELATED DEATH- ZOOM 5/12/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Don Lipstein facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.  Whether you know for sure that suicide was the cause of death or you are uncertain, you will find support here.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84104821860?pwd=gwiYOLLDBU5dcbDRYCjQW3bxKYQ9DK.1

Meeting ID: 841 0482 1860

Passcode: 886489 or

One tap mobile 13017158592

______________

Tuesday - PARTNER & SPOUSE - ZOOM 5/13/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Kar-Kate Parenteau facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of a partner, spouse or significant other due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86578435343?pwd=avNFpCQpiLGCsKRKFEsexJj7E87gM5.1

Meeting ID: 865 7843 5343

Passcode: 287422 or

One tap mobile: 13052241968

_______________

Tuesday - MEN ONLY - ZOOM 5/13/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Dave Swindell and Gary Carter facilitating. 

For men 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/96961980647?pwd=cFVTMHR3VE9COGc3UGdIZHo4TWVaZz09#success

Meeting ID: 969 6198 0647

Password: 300626 or One tap mobile 16465588656

_________________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, AUBURN, MA 5/14/25 3:00-4:00 pm ET. 

Kathryn Peirce facilitating.  

Kiva Centers, 206 Southbridge Street, Auburn, MA.  

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

________________

Wednesday - PEOPLE IN RECOVERY - ZOOM 5/14/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Franklin Cook facilitating/Tavyn Thuringer co-facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who identifies as being in recovery from any substance including alcohol who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86983267032?pwd=PVCMDdMoBrdSoZJ3G52Mrdu7FMLuvT.1

Meeting ID: 869 8326 7032

Passcode: 980796

_____________

Wednesday - GRIEVING MULTIPLE LOVED ONES - ZOOM 5/14/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Annie Avitabile facilitating.

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of multiple loved ones due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88620038150?pwd=tPIsgXzIez3IJB2Ly7SoeSyNN8sYkm.1

Meeting ID: 886 2003 8150

Passcode: 358575 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

___________

Sunday 5/18/25 11am -12:30 pm ET CALL THEIR NAME WALK, Deer Island (map), WINTHROP, MA 

Sign up here. For any questions please contact Judy Kelly at judyannkelly@gmail.com 781-264-0557

_____________

Sunday- YOUNG PERSON MEETING, IN-PERSON, MEDFORD, MA 5/18/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Michelle Rueda and Chloe Brosnan co-facilitating.

96 Winchester Street, Medford, MA. 

For anyone 18-35 who has experienced the death of someone they care about to substance use.

______________

Sunday - MOVING FORWARD-PEER GRIEF SUPPORT FOR PARENTS - ZOOM 5/18/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Kathi Sullivan facilitating.  

For parents who have experienced the death of a child due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81399455192?pwd=abdXEKMYpoAXvdsafjI4uf3jBKjykn.1

Meeting ID: 813 9945 5192

Passcode: forward

or one tap mobile 16465588656

CLICK HERE FOR FUTURE MEETING DATES

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email? Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

Want to volunteer for The Sun Will Rise? Sign up here!

To view past newsletters on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

Week of 5/4/25

Mother’s Day Isn’t Simple

For some, Mother’s Day is beautiful. For others, it’s painful. And for a lot of people, it’s both. Maybe you’re grieving your mom. Maybe you’re a mom grieving your child. Maybe both have died. Maybe your relationship was complicated. Maybe you will be just trying to get through the day without falling apart. Whatever Mother’s Day brings up for you, please know you’re not the only one feeling it deeply. This day can stir so many feelings like love, longing, sadness and even anger. There’s no right way to feel. Personally, I have skipped Mother’s Day since Nick died. Don’t want to do it and no one can guilt me into it. And that works for me. Be open to whatever may work for you. If you would like a place to just be with others who get it, we have lots of meetings this week and we’re holding a special Mother’s Day Zoom group next Sunday at 11:00 AM. Please join us. No expectations. Just a space to show up, connect and to maybe feel less alone.

However you’re carrying grief this Mother’s Day, we see you.

Read more: Mother’s Day Grieving at What’s Your Grief.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

AWARD FOR COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Sometimes worlds collide. In this case, my insurance career (yes, I still hold down another job) collided with my non-profit work! I was honored this week in Washington D.C. by Big I, the national independent insurance agency trade organization with their Dan Fulwider Award for Community Involvement. In remembering Dan Fulwider, each year Big I recognizes one independent agent, from across the nation, who characterizes Fulwider's spirit of generosity through their commitment to change and impact communities. So thankful for their acknowledgement and for the $3,000 award to The Sun Will Rise.

FLIGHT CLUB~SOCIAL DARTS EVENT

What a great afternoon of connection and community at the Flight Club social darts event! You never know who you might meet… in this case it was someone connected to a person’s deceased brother! Wow! Join us at one our next events to build a stronger grief support community for everyone.

COMMUNITY HAPPENINGS

Members of the Braintree Community Partnership met with Brendan Little to learn more about Halo Initiatives support for grieving families in Boston and the Boston Bullpen Project. This may help the Opioid Task Force decide on the use and disbursement of Braintree’s Opioid Funds.

The Boston Bulldogs asked us to share about their upcoming 2025 Boston Bulldogs Run for Recovery 5K & Tribute at Franklin Park - Boston Bulldogs Running Club | Co-Ed Non-Profit Running Club. They have 5K and a 1.6 mile options. The event will include a Festival of community and business organizations that support wellness in recovery. The day’s program will also include a moving Tribute to honor those who have died due to addiction and their families and supporters.

UPCOMING TSWR & SADOD ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Mother’s Day Luminaria Workshop May 10, 2025 2:00 pm West Barnstable MA. A few spots remain! Attendees will make a beautiful memorial candle holder that they will stamp or inscribe themselves. Assembly and stamping on the 10th and the potter, Holly Heaslip will take attendees to her shops to fire and glaze. We will arrange pick-up a week or so later. Rev. Tara O'Keefe will also offer a Mother's Day blessing and Kerry Bickford will provide support as needed. REGISTER HERE!. Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Questions? Please contact Kerry Bickford: 1-508-932-1981 kerry@peersupportcommunitypartners.org

Remembering our Angels 5K TEAM! May 10th 2025 10:00 am Marlborough MA Join the The Sun Will Rise team and walk/run with us at The Remembering our Angels 5k Run/Walk!!! The Sun Will Rise Foundation, Inc. is honored to walk again this year in support, remembrance and community. Last year, over 50 of us came together as a team and we’re ready to do it again! We walk to honor them, to support each other and to show that no one has to grieve alone. Join our team! If you have already registered individually and would like to join the team, just let me know.

May 11, 2025 11:00 am ET Mother’s Day Zoom Mark your calendars for a special Mother’s Day late MORNING zoom facilitated by Judy Kelly. PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE. Zoom link at bottom of newsletter.

NEW EVENT!!! Sunday, May 18, 2025 11:00 AM CALL THER NAME WALK Winthrop MA Enjoy a group walk together where we share our stories, fill the air with our loved one’s names and find a bit of tranquility with a stroll on Deer Island while overlooking the Boston skyline. This walk has a flatter paved walking surface. Please join in to meet other group members! No cost, no depost. Sign up here so we now who is coming. Link to locate entrance gate. No entrance fee. About Deer Island. For any questions please contact Judy Kelly at judyannkelly@gmail.com 781-264-0557

HEALING THROUGH WONDER

Stories of Moments that Take Our Breath Away

The Healing Through Wonder Project is a storytelling collaboration between Val Walker, author and rehabilitation consultant and Robyn Houston-Bean, founder of The Sun Will Rise Foundation.

Together, we explore powerful stories of healing sparked by moments of awe and wonder. Through intimate conversations with our guests, we uncover how these extraordinary experiences have shaped their journeys through trauma, substance use and grief and how wonder can open a path to resilience and transformation.

Watch the storytelling videos and join our youtube channel here!

We are taping new videos for this project now.

Sign-up here to share your stories with us, we would love to talk to you!

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

MEETINGS UPDATES

• EXTRA GRANDPARENT MEETING THIS WEEK

• KINGSTON MA - NO MEETING IN MAY

• NAME CHANGE FOR THE FALMOUTH MEETING FROM BRAVEHEARTS TO HEART TO HEART

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Monday - GRIEVING GRANDPARENTS - ZOOM 5/5/25 5:30-6:30 pm ET.

Kerry Bickford facilitating. 

For grandparents that have experienced the death of a family member due to substance use now navigating grief and other issues with their grandchildren. The focus of this group will be on the grandchildren.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2334755647

Meeting ID: 233 475 5647 or

One tap mobile 1646558865

____________________

Monday - JOURNEY TO HOPE-PEER GRIEF SUPPORT FOR PARENTS - ZOOM 5/5/25 6:00-7:00 pm ET. 

Gail Langley & Robyn Stokowski facilitating. 

For parents who have experienced the death of a child due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/94114510999?pwd=XPycxdOzIsNYzFy58Jk3VW7a4lG4Wd.1

Meeting ID: 941 1451 0999

Passcode: 953667 or

One tap mobile 16469313860

__________________

Monday - IN-PERSON, WEYMOUTH MA 5/5/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Darlene Mersereau facilitating. 

Crossroads Church, 241 Broad Street, Weymouth, MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_________________

Monday - ZOOM - 5/5/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Aileen Lovejoy & Deb Dowd-Foley facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86930927959?pwd=i4N7hWEhAtD4HPnBKCBi9LGEF7AGbt.1 

Meeting ID: 869 3092 7959 Passcode: 239207 or

One tap mobile +16469313860

______________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, HEART TO HEART GROUP, FALMOUTH MA 5/7/25 1:30-3:00 pm ET. 

Kerry Bickford facilitating.  

UU Falmouth MA, 840 Sandwich Road, East Falmouth, MA.  

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.  

_______________  

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, PORTLAND, ME 5/7/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Karen Walsh and Rachel Solomon facilitating. 

The Family Restored, 631 Stevens Avenue, Suite 205, Portland, ME 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

______________  

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, TAUNTON, MA 5/7/25 7:00-8:00 pm ET. 

Sandra Chase facilitating. 

Learn to Cope Office, 4 Court Street, #110, Taunton, MA.  

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_________________

Wednesday - ZOOM - 5/7/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Robyn Houston-Bean facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89339848976?pwd=ayd1jLi4bBYapnBuybFIkmTE7fhDfq.1

Meeting ID: 893 3984 8976

Passcode: 135336 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

_____________

Thursday - YOUNG PERSON MEETING - ZOOM 5/8/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Chloe Brosnan and Liz Driscoll facilitating

For anyone 18-35 who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92570225816?pwd=b5V5xeeVB3I3O3Qu32Me4V7WfrbXPm.1

Meeting ID: 925 7022 5816

Passcode: 646974

One tap mobile 16465588656

________________

EVENT! Saturday - 5/10/25 10:00-11:00 am ET. 

REMEMBERING OUR ANGELS 5K RUN/WALK! Marlborough, MA. 

Join the The Sun Will Rise Team and walk/run with us to benefit Team Sharing.

____________

EVENT! Saturday - 5/10/25 2:00-4:00 pm ET. 

MOTHER’S DAY LUMINARIA WORKSHOP West Barnstable, MA

Attendees will make a beautiful memorial candle holder that they will stamp or inscribe themselves. 

____________

Sunday - SPECIAL MOTHER’S DAY ZOOM 5/11/25 11:00-12:00 pm ET. 

Judy Kelly facilitating. 

For anyone who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use wanting some extra support on this holiday.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/95636640176?pwd=AmSnANwOceaQ9gWQOmSgzbHfR7bgpP.1

Meeting ID: 956 3664 0176

Passcode: 682840 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

CLICK HERE FOR FUTURE MEETING DATES

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email? Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

Want to volunteer for The Sun Will Rise? Sign up here!

To view past newsletters on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

The Sun Will Rise Foundation, 541 Washington St, Braintree MA 02184, USA

Week of 4/27/25

The Slow Healing We Don’t See

Grief changes us in ways we don’t always catch right away. Some healing you can feel. But a lot of it is slow and quiet. So quiet you don’t even notice it’s happening until one day you look back and realize something’s different. Maybe you made it through a morning without that heavy feeling in your chest. Maybe you laughed at something and didn’t instantly feel guilty. Maybe you thought about them and instead of breaking down, you just remembered. It’s not that the grief is gone. It just means you’re learning to live with it. And that counts for more than it sometimes feels like. Sometimes doing something simple and different can be part of that slow healing too. That’s why we want to invite you to our Social Darts Event next weekend in Boston. No heavy conversations, no pressure, just a chance to try something new and be around others who get it. If you’re up for it, we’d love to see you there.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

NEW FACILITATOR

Meet Carol Carol Bowers has helped out with the partner/spouse zoom group and is now in the process of launching a People in Recovery in-person group. Details will soon follow. Carol retired 8 years ago after working for 25 years as an Account Executive but she always knew that her real purpose there was to advocate for those that couldn’t speak up for themselves. She has been in long-term recovery for over 30 years. Her husband Jeff sadly died due to a fentanyl overdose in 2022. He had been in long term recovery for over 30 years. They met in a treatment center in East Boston and enjoyed many wonderful years together. Carol has two children, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She was a Co-Chair on the Event and Logistics Committee for last year's Finding Support in Grief Conference. Carol says, “I honestly believe I would not be in a place to give back if it wasn’t for what I was given from the people at TSWR and SADOD. If I can help someone else know they are not alone and there’s a safe place to come to…sign me up!” Thanks Carol!

DRUMMING THROUGH TRAUMA EVENT

It was a great afternoon trying something new! Click here to see us in action! Read more about Drum Strategies for Healing.

COMMUNITY EVENTS

Celebrating the one year anniversary of the HOPE Center in Braintree MA! The Hope Center is part of the Norfolk County Sheriff's Office and works closely with the Reentry Team at the Dedham House of Corrections to support individuals transitioning back into the community. They provide resources, guidance and opportunities to help returning citizens rebuild their lives. We hope to have a grief group at the center in the future!

FREELANCE WRITER REQUEST - SUICIDE & OVERDOSE EPIDEMIC

Carrie Arnold, a Virginia-based freelance health and science reporter is working on a piece to submit to The Guardian about the overlap between the suicide and overdose epidemics and about a new technique called psychological autopsy that is helping doctors put together the pieces on the factors contributing to a person's death. She would like to talk to families and individuals who have struggled with both mental health and substance issues when an overdose occurred, especially if it was hard to determine if the overdose or death was the result of a suicide attempt, not wanting to life anymore, or somewhere else in the middle between "this was clearly a suicide" and "this was an accidental overdose." If this applies to you and you would like to talk to Carrie, please contact her at: carrierobin@gmail.com 1-757-750-0865

In related news, the Samaritans are offering a one day Healing from Suicide Loss summit in Waltham MA to create connection and healing among long-term suicide loss survivors. More info here.

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Flight Club ~ Social Darts May 4, 2025 2:00-3:30 pm Seaport Boston MA Want to try something new? Join us for 90 minutes of Social Darts! Fast-paced multiplayer games, groundbreaking tracking technology and instant scoring built to bring people together, whether you're a rookie or a self-proclaimed pro! A time to share some fun with our Sun Will Rise community! Register HERE! Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Questions? Please contact Danielle Lagos: daniellelagos24@gmail.com or cell: 617-694-1194

Mother’s Day Luminaria Workshop May 10, 2025 2:00 pm West Barnstable MA. Attendees will make a beautiful memorial candle holder that they will stamp or inscribe themselves. Assembly and stamping on the 10th and the potter, Holly Heaslip will take attendees to her shops to fire and glaze. We will arrange pick-up a week or so later. Rev. Tara O'Keefe will also offer a Mother's Day blessing and Kerry Bickford will provide support as needed. REGISTER HERE!. Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Questions? Please contact Kerry Bickford: 1-508-932-1981 kerry@peersupportcommunitypartners.org

Remembering our Angels 5K TEAM! May 10th 2025 10:00 am Marlborough MA Join the The Sun Will Rise team and walk/run with us at The Remembering our Angels 5k Run/Walk!!! The Sun Will Rise Foundation, Inc. is honored to walk again this year in support, remembrance and community. Last year, over 50 of us came together as a team and we’re ready to do it again! We walk to honor them, to support each other and to show that no one has to grieve alone. Join our team! If you have already registered individually and would like to join the team, just let me know. DEADLINE to sign up and get a race t-shirt is 4/16/25.

May 11, 2025 11:00 am ET Mother’s Day Zoom Mark your calendars for a special Mother’s Day late morning zoom facilitated by Judy Kelly. PLEASE NOTE TIME CHANGE

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Monday - Christian Faith Based Hope After Loss- IN-PERSON MARLBOROUGH, MA 4/28/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Cheryl Juaire facilitating. 

Greater Grace Christian Fellowship, 187 Pleasant St Marlborough, MA. 

For anyone 18 and over of the Christian faith who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.  

___________________

Monday - ZOOM 4/28/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Don Lipstein facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84716470892

Meeting ID: 847 1647 0892 or

One tap mobile 16469313860

____________________

Tuesday - HYBRID - LEARNING TO COPE WITH GRIEF MEETING - IN-PERSON & ZOOM, GLOUCESTER, MA  4/29/25 7:00-8:00 pm ET.

Colleen and Gordon Bullard facilitating. 

CORE Peer Recovery and Resource Center 11 - 15 Parker Street, Gloucester, MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83349371338?pwd=RXM5RnRINGJKL21HTFhiSVYyR1NCdz09

Meeting ID: 833 4937 1338

Passcode: 560270

___________________

Tuesday - MEN’S ONLY - ZOOM 4/29/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Dave Swindell and Gary Carter facilitating. 

For men 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/96961980647?pwd=cFVTMHR3VE9COGc3UGdIZHo4TWVaZz09#success

Meeting ID: 969 6198 0647

Password: 300626 or One tap mobile 16465588656

_____________

Thursday - GRIEVING GRANDPARENTS - ZOOM 5/1/25 5:30-6:30 pm ET. 

Kerry Bickford facilitating. 

For grandparents that have experienced the death of a family member due to substance use now navigating grief and other issues with their grandchildren. 

The focus of this Thursday group will be on the grandchildren.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2334755647

Meeting ID: 233 475 5647 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

_____________

Sunday - MOVING FORWARD-PEER GRIEF SUPPORT FOR PARENTS IN-PERSON, NORTH ATTLEBORO MA 5/4/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Kathi Sullivan facilitating. 

Sullivan’s Message Resource Community Center, 218 Park Street, North Attleboro, MA. 

For parents who have experienced the death of a child due to substance use.

CLICK HERE FOR FUTURE MEETING DATES

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email? Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

Want to volunteer for The Sun Will Rise? Sign up here!

To view past newsletters on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

The Sun Will Rise Foundation, 541 Washington St, Braintree MA 02184, USA

Week of 4/20/25

THE HELPERS

When we think about our grief, we think about the person who died. But sometimes we also carry a deep gratitude for the people who were there for them and for us. The therapist who never gave up. The EMT who showed up more than once. The recovery coach who called to check in. The shelter worker who treated them with dignity. The friend who dropped everything just to sit beside us. They were the ones walking beside our people in their struggle, sometimes in moments we didn’t even see. And now that they’re gone, our grief carries a quiet thank you to the people who tried. Our grief doesn’t just remember the loss. It remembers the effort. The compassion. The humanity. On this Easter Sunday, a day some people connect with hope, renewal and love, it feels right to also remember those who showed up in the hardest seasons and helped carry some of the weight.

Do you want to acknowledge someone who showed up for you or your person? Let us know who they were on our private facebook page.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

SADOD SURVEY

Have you connected with SADOD in any way, such as psychoeducational workshops, the Voices newsletter, The Sun Will Rise grief groups, etc…? If yes, please complete this short survey.

COMMUNITY EVENTS, TABLING & TRAININGS!

We were grateful to be part of Gregory’s Run for Hope and the Together in Hope Conference at Boston Medical Center. Two events that bring together communities working toward healing, awareness and change. It’s always powerful to stand alongside others who care so deeply.

Would you like to help us at tabling events across MA? Please complete this inquiry form.

Special thanks to some of our incredible facilitators, who headed to a grief training recently at Hope Floats. This helps them to keep showing up with even more heart, knowledge and support for our community!

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Healing Through Wonder SADOD Psychoeductional Workshop April 22, 2025 6:30-8:00 pm ET Author and Psychology Today blogger Val Walker will share healing stories from trauma and grief survivors who’ve been transformed by encounters with awe and wonder. She will also report on recent neuroscience research that shows how experiences of awe and wonder restore our outlook and wellbeing and strengthen our spiritual awareness. This workshop will take place virtually on Zoom. Learn more and register at bit.ly/healing-through-wonder. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org 

Drumming Through Trauma April 27, 2025 12:30-2:00 pm Cotuit MA. !!!! FINAL CALL FOR REGISTRATION!!! Drumming isn’t just music. It’s movement, it’s rhythm, it’s release. A way to express what words can’t. Drumming Through Trauma is a space to let go, feel the beat and release what’s been held inside. No experience needed. Drumming Through Trauma – REGISTER HERE! Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Questions? Please contact Judy Kelly: 781-264-0557 judyannkelly@gmail.com

New Event! Flight Club ~ Social Darts May 4, 2025 2:00-3:30 pm Boston MA Want to try something new? Join us for 90 minutes of Social Darts! Fast-paced multiplayer games, groundbreaking tracking technology and instant scoring built to bring people together, whether you're a rookie or a self-proclaimed pro! A time to share some fun with our Sun Will Rise community! Register HERE! Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Questions? Please contact Danielle Lagos: daniellelagos24@gmail.com or cell: 617-694-1194

Mother’s Day Luminaria Workshop May 10, 2025 2:00 pm West Barnstable MA. Attendees will make a beautiful memorial candle holder that they will stamp or inscribe themselves. Assembly and stamping on the 10th and the potter, Holly Heaslip will take attendees to her shops to fire and glaze. We will arrange pick-up a week or so later. Rev. Tara O'Keefe will also offer a Mother's Day blessing and Kerry Bickford will provide support as needed. REGISTER HERE!. Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Questions? Please contact Kerry Bickford: 1-508-932-1981 kerry@peersupportcommunitypartners.org

Remembering our Angels 5K TEAM! May 10th 2025 10:00 am Marlborough MA Join the The Sun Will Rise team and walk/run with us at The Remembering our Angels 5k Run/Walk!!! The Sun Will Rise Foundation, Inc. is honored to walk again this year in support, remembrance and community. Last year, over 50 of us came together as a team and we’re ready to do it again! We walk to honor them, to support each other and to show that no one has to grieve alone. Join our team! If you have already registered individually and would like to join the team, just let me know. DEADLINE to sign up and get a race t-shirt is 4/16/25.

May 11, 2025 4:00 pm ET Mother’s Day Zoom Mark your calendars for a special Mother’s Day late afternoon zoom facilitated by Judy Kelly.

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

MEETING CHANGES THIS WEEK

New meeting in East Boston MA starts this week.

New time for Young People in-person meeting.

Moving Forward Parents meeting next Sunday due to Easter.

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Monday - GRIEVING GRANDPARENTS ZOOM  4/21/25 12:00-1:00 pm ET. 

Kerry Bickford facilitating. 

For grandparents that have experienced the death or estrangement of a grandchild due to substance use (theirs or their parents.)  The focus of this Monday group will be on the grandparents.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2334755647

Meeting ID: 233 475 5647 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

____________________

Monday - IN-PERSON, WEYMOUTH MA 4/21/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Darlene Mersereau facilitating. 

Crossroads Church, 241 Broad Street, Weymouth, MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

___________________

Monday - JOURNEY TO HOPE-PEER GRIEF SUPPORT FOR PARENTS - ZOOM 4/21/25 6:00-7:00 pm ET. 

Gail Langley & Robyn Stokowski facilitating. 

For parents who have experienced the death of a child due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/94114510999?pwd=XPycxdOzIsNYzFy58Jk3VW7a4lG4Wd.1

Meeting ID: 941 1451 0999

Passcode: 953667

One tap mobile 16469313860

__________________

Monday - ZOOM - 4/21/25 6:00-7:30 pm PT. (9-10:30 ET) 

Randi Schalet facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/94390650873?pwd=QCnk9cqJwOQvs2u2jkUPRgXUpFT5D7.1

Meeting ID: 943 9065 0873

Passcode: 578972 or

One tap mobile 13126266799

_______________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, BRIDGEWATER, MA 4/22/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Natalie Patricio facilitating. 

Trinity Episcopal Church 91 Main St Bridgewater MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

__________________

Tuesday - MEN’S ONLY - ZOOM 4/22/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Dave Swindell and Gary Carter facilitating. 

For men 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/96961980647?pwd=cFVTMHR3VE9COGc3UGdIZHo4TWVaZz09#success

Meeting ID: 969 6198 0647

Password: 300626 or One tap mobile 16465588656

___________________

Tuesday - PARTNER & SPOUSE - ZOOM 4/22/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET.

Kar-Kate Parenteau facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of a partner, spouse or significant other due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86578435343?pwd=avNFpCQpiLGCsKRKFEsexJj7E87gM5.1

Meeting ID: 865 7843 5343

Passcode: 287422 or

One tap mobile: 13052241968

____________________

Wednesday - PEOPLE IN RECOVERY - ZOOM 4/23/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET.

Leslie Lagos facilitating.

For anyone 18 and over who identifies as being in recovery from any substance or alcohol who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86324167889?pwd=nrGKjzkr7MyLBnQBfLoUj9Sc43O1r6.1

Meeting ID: 863 2416 7889

Passcode: 428961

_____________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, EAST BOSTON, MA 4/23/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Rose Stone facilitating. 

Recovery on the Harbor, 983 Bennington Street, East Boston, MA. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_______________

Wednesday - ZOOM 4/23/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Karen Walsh and Rachel Solomon facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82388932694 

_____________

Thursday- NEW BEGINNINGS GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP - ZOOM 4/24/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Janice Kaplan facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over newly bereaved due to substance use related causes and/or new to The Sun Will Rise Foundation.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/93853426722?pwd=zhxz5RYig8tunxUyGp6K8Uk19XKxgw.1

Meeting ID: 938 5342 6722

Passcode: 756069 or

One tap mobile 13017158592

________________

Thursday - IN-PERSON, BRIGHTON, MA 4/24/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Liz Driscoll facilitating. 

PSF Community Center, 640 Washington Street, New Balance Room, Lower Level, Brighton, MA. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_______________________

Sunday - 4/27/25 12:30-2:00 pm ET Drumming Through Trauma

Cotuit, MA. Registration Required!

_____________

Sunday- YOUNG PERSON MEETING, IN-PERSON, MEDFORD, MA 4/27/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Michelle Rueda and Chloe Brosnan co-facilitating. 

96 Winchester Street, Medford, MA.  

For anyone 18-35 who has experienced the death of someone they care about to substance use.

________________

Sunday - MOVING FORWARD-PEER GRIEF SUPPORT FOR PARENTS - ZOOM 4/27/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Kathi Sullivan facilitating. 

For parents who have experienced the death of a child due to substance use. 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81399455192?pwd=abdXEKMYpoAXvdsafjI4uf3jBKjykn.1

Meeting ID: 813 9945 5192

Passcode: forward

or one tap mobile 16465588656

FOR FUTURE DATES, CHECK OUT OUR MEETING SCHEDULE PAGE

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?

Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

To view the newsletter on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

Week of 4/13/25

SPRING CLEANING

April always make me think of spring cleaning. A time to clean things out and start fresh. But when you're grieving, sometimes even the idea of sorting through any of your stuff can feel like too much.

I remember one spring, about a year after Nick died, I decided to clean out the hall closet. Nothing major, just clearing space. But hanging in the back was his EMT jacket. It still had a pen in the pocket and a little wrapper from a candy. I sat on the floor and held it for a long time and I didn’t clean anything else that day.

Grief shows up like that. Sometimes it’s in the big things, but a lot of times it’s in a random box or drawer you weren’t even planning to open. Deciding what to keep and what to let go of isn’t just about stuff. It’s about love and connection and memory.

You don’t have to do it all at once. You don’t even have to do it this year. But if you are ready, be gentle with yourself. Go slow. Let the moments happen. There’s no right way to go through it.

Read more: Grief Cleaning: How to Separate Memories from Things While Decluttering.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Healing Through Wonder SADOD Psychoeductional Workshop April 22, 2025 6:30-8:00 pm ET Author and Psychology Today blogger Val Walker will share healing stories from trauma and grief survivors who’ve been transformed by encounters with awe and wonder. She will also report on recent neuroscience research that shows how experiences of awe and wonder restore our outlook and wellbeing and strengthen our spiritual awareness. This workshop will take place virtually on Zoom. Learn more and register at bit.ly/healing-through-wonder. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org 

Drumming Through Trauma April 27, 2025 12:30-2:00 pm Cotuit MA. Drumming isn’t just music. It’s movement, it’s rhythm, it’s release. A way to express what words can’t. Drumming Through Trauma is a space to let go, feel the beat and release what’s been held inside. No experience needed. Drumming Through Trauma – REGISTER HERE! Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Questions? Please contact Judy Kelly: 781-264-0557 judyannkelly@gmail.com

Mother’s Day Luminaria Workshop May 10, 2025 2:00 pm West Barnstable MA. Attendees will make a beautiful memorial candle holder that they will stamp or inscribe themselves. Assembly and stamping on the 10th and the potter, Holly Heaslip will take attendees to her shops to fire and glaze. We will arrange pick-up a week or so later. Rev. Tara O'Keefe will also offer a Mother's Day blessing and Kerry Bickford will provide support as needed. REGISTER HERE!. Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Questions? Please contact Kerry Bickford: 1-508-932-1981 kerry@peersupportcommunitypartners.org

Remembering our Angels 5K TEAM! May 10th 2025 10:00 am Marlborough MA Join the The Sun Will Rise team and walk/run with us at The Remembering our Angels 5k Run/Walk!!! The Sun Will Rise Foundation, Inc. is honored to walk again this year in support, remembrance and community. Last year, over 50 of us came together as a team and we’re ready to do it again! We walk to honor them, to support each other and to show that no one has to grieve alone. Join our team! If you have already registered individually and would like to join the team, just let me know. DEADLINE to sign up and get a race t-shirt is 4/16/25.

May 11, 2025 4:00 pm ET Mother’s Day Zoom Mark your calendars for a special Mother’s Day late afternoon zoom facilitated by Judy Kelly.

NON-SUBSTANCE USE RELATED GRIEF ACTIVITY

Equine-Assisted Retreat. One of our facilitators asked that we share this with the group members. She has attended a session with this provider and noted that it was great. Please note, this is not a Sun Will Rise activity. We do not have any further information beyond the flyer.

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

MEETING CHANGES THIS WEEK

One time location change for Faith Based Hope After Loss.

Moving Forward Parents changed to 4/27/25 this month.

The Family Restored regular zoom changed to 4/23/25 this month.

People in Recovery Hybrid group starts this week. 

LGBTQ on pause this month.

Winthrop MA on pause this month.

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Monday - Christian Faith Based Hope After Loss- IN-PERSON MARLBOROUGH, MA 4/14/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET.

Cheryl Juaire facilitating.  

289 Elm St (This is a one time change of address)

For anyone 18 and over of the Christian faith who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.  

______________

Monday - MOM’S ONLY - ZOOM 4/14/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Tracy Carter and Karen Swindell facilitating. 

For mothers who have experienced the death of a child(ren) due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81904227569?pwd=YnSJwFTN6DFsHTYnPhfMHqUue9ZaL9.1

Meeting ID: 819 0422 7569

Passcode: 807237 or

One tap mobile 13052241968

___________________

Monday - SUICIDE RELATED DEATH- ZOOM 4/14/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Don Lipstein facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.  Whether you know for sure that suicide was the cause of death or you are uncertain, you will find support here.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84104821860?pwd=gwiYOLLDBU5dcbDRYCjQW3bxKYQ9DK.1

Meeting ID: 841 0482 1860

Passcode: 886489 or

One tap mobile 13017158592

__________________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, MATTHEW’S CANDLE, HANSON, MA 4/15/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET.

Mary Peckham facilitating.  

Calvary Baptist Church, 429 Monponsett Street, Hanson, MA 

For anyone 18+ over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

___________________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, QUINCY, MA 4/15/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Robyn Houston-Bean facilitating.  

New Way Recovery, 85 Quincy Avenue, Quincy, MA

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_________________

Wednesday - PEOPLE IN RECOVERY - IN-PERSON & ZOOM (HYBRID), WEYMOUTH, MA 4/16/25 12:00-1:30 pm ET. 

Leslie Lagos facilitating. 

Wey of Life Peer Recovery Center, 383 Bridge Street, Weymouth, MA.

For anyone 18 and over who identifies as being in recovery from any substance including alcohol who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85221462188?pwd=ql6VNmDPCtqRJD6OmCP7XCQAE9TFg1.1

Meeting ID: 852 2146 2188

Passcode: 430591 or

One tap mobile 16469313860

____________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, CHARLESTOWN, MA 4/16/25 6:00-7:00 pm ET.

Shannon Lundin & Michael Cain facilitating. St. John’s Church

27 Devens St 2nd Floor Charlestown MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

________________

Wednesday - SIBLING ZOOM 4/16/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Miriah Corso facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of a sibling due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92909305605?pwd=IacFroINAxOZi94CLJRXZeTvbaL2lK.1

Meeting ID: 929 0930 5605

Passcode: 131849 or

One tap mobile 13126266799

FOR FUTURE DATES, CHECK OUT OUR MEETING SCHEDULE PAGE

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?

Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

Week of 4/6/25

Grief and Drumming

Drumming might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to grief support, but it can be surprisingly powerful. When you're grieving, emotions like anger, sadness and numbness build up. Drumming gives those emotions somewhere to go. It’s a way to release, without needing to explain, without needing to make sense of what you’re feeling.

Drumming also helps settle the nervous system. Grief puts your body in a state of high alert, whether you notice it or not. The steady rhythm of drumming can calm your breathing and slow your heart rate. I remember trying drumming for the first time with a restorative justice program, not knowing what to expect. I wasn’t in the mood for anything, honestly. But after a few minutes of just following the beat, something in me softened. I didn’t leave feeling “fixed,” but I felt lighter. And for that day, that was enough.

There’s also something really meaningful about doing it in a group. Grief can be isolating, but sitting in a circle creating rhythm with other people, creates connection in a different way. If you’re curious, we’d love to have you at our upcoming Drumming Through Trauma event. You don’t need experience. Just come as you are.

Watch a video about the instructor Sam Holmstock and this drumming program.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

STAFF NEWS!

WE HAVE OUR VERY FIRST INTERN! MEET LA’NEISHA JENKINS!

Hello, my name is La'Neisha! I'm a sophomore at Curry College, majoring in Marketing with a minor in Public Relations. As a passionate and dedicated marketing intern, I enjoy finding creative ways to connect with people and tell compelling stories. In my free time, I love exploring new opportunities to grow personally and professionally.

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Healing Through Wonder SADOD Psychoeductional Workshop April 22, 2025 6:30-8:00 pm ET Author and Psychology Today blogger Val Walker will share healing stories from trauma and grief survivors who’ve been transformed by encounters with awe and wonder. She will also report on recent neuroscience research that shows how experiences of awe and wonder restore our outlook and wellbeing and strengthen our spiritual awareness. This workshop will take place virtually on Zoom. Learn more and register at bit.ly/healing-through-wonder. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org 

Drumming Through Trauma April 27, 2025 12:30-2:00 pm Cotuit MA Drumming isn’t just music. It’s movement, it’s rhythm, it’s release. A way to express what words can’t. Drumming Through Trauma is a space to let go, feel the beat and release what’s been held inside. No experience needed. Drumming Through Trauma – REGISTER HERE! Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Questions? Please contact Judy Kelly: 781-264-0557 judyannkelly@gmail.com

Remembering our Angels 5K TEAM! May 10th 2025 10:00 am Marlborough MA Join the The Sun Will Rise team and walk/run with us at The Remembering our Angels 5k Run/Walk!!! The Sun Will Rise Foundation, Inc. is honored to walk again this year in support, remembrance and community. Last year, over 50 of us came together as a team and we’re ready to do it again! We walk to honor them, to support each other and to show that no one has to grieve alone. Join our team! If you have already registered individually and would like to join the team, just let me know

BEREAVEMENT RESEARCH

Join Evermore's Lived Experience Bereavement Research Network (LEBRN) Help Shape the Future of Bereavement Research. LEBRN will bring together people with varied backgrounds and expertise, including people who have experienced bereavement themselves — bereaved parents, children, siblings, spouses, and community leaders — alongside bereavement care providers and researchers.

With the input from those living with grief, researchers will know the most important research questions to ask and what kinds of care models and interventions should be developed. It's FREE! It's virtual. Sign up today!

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Monday - JOURNEY TO HOPE-PEER GRIEF SUPPORT FOR PARENTS - ZOOM 4/7/25 6:00-7:00 pm ET. 

Gail Langley & Robyn Stokowski facilitating.

For parents who have experienced the death of a child due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/94114510999?pwd=XPycxdOzIsNYzFy58Jk3VW7a4lG4Wd.1

Meeting ID: 941 1451 0999

Passcode: 953667 or

One tap mobile 16469313860

___________________

Monday - IN-PERSON, WEYMOUTH MA 4/7/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Darlene Mersereau facilitating. 

Crossroads Church, 241 Broad Street, Weymouth, MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

___________________

Monday - ZOOM - 4/7/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Aileen Lovejoy & Deb Dowd-Foley facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86930927959?pwd=i4N7hWEhAtD4HPnBKCBi9LGEF7AGbt.1

Meeting ID: 869 3092 7959 

Passcode: 239207 or

One tap mobile +16469313860

______________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, NATHAN’S CIRCLE, WEST BARNSTABLE, MA 4/8/25 5:30-7:00 pm ET. 

Kerry and Richard Bickford facilitating. 

Compass Rose Center 1106 Main St West Barnstable MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

____________________

Tuesday - PARTNER & SPOUSE - ZOOM 4/8/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Kar-Kate Parenteau facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of a partner, spouse or significant other due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86578435343?pwd=avNFpCQpiLGCsKRKFEsexJj7E87gM5.1

Meeting ID: 865 7843 5343

Passcode: 287422 or

One tap mobile: 13052241968

_____________________

Tuesday - MEN’S ONLY - ZOOM 4/8/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Dave Swindell and Gary Carter facilitating. 

For men 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/96961980647?pwd=cFVTMHR3VE9COGc3UGdIZHo4TWVaZz09#success

Meeting ID: 969 6198 0647

Password: 300626 or 

One tap mobile 16465588656

________________

Wednesday - PEOPLE IN RECOVERY - ZOOM 4/9/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Franklin Cook facilitating/Tavyn Thuringer co-facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who identifies as being in recovery from any substance including alcohol who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86983267032?pwd=PVCMDdMoBrdSoZJ3G52Mrdu7FMLuvT.1

Meeting ID: 869 8326 7032

Passcode: 980796

___________________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, AUBURN, MA 4/9/25 3:00-4:00 pm ET. 

Kathryn Peirce facilitating, Katie Bradley co-facilitating.

Kiva Centers, 206 Southbridge Street, Auburn, MA. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_____________

Wednesday - GRIEVING MULTIPLE LOVED ONES - ZOOM 4/9/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Annie Avitabile facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of multiple loved ones due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88620038150?pwd=tPIsgXzIez3IJB2Ly7SoeSyNN8sYkm.1

Meeting ID: 886 2003 8150

Passcode: 358575 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

__________________

Thursday - YOUNG PERSON MEETING - ZOOM 4/10/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET.  

Chloe Brosnan facilitating  

For anyone 18-35 who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92570225816?pwd=b5V5xeeVB3I3O3Qu32Me4V7WfrbXPm.1

Meeting ID: 925 7022 5816

Passcode: 646974

One tap mobile 16465588656

_______________

Thursday - IN-PERSON, MATTHEW’S CANDLE, KINGSTON, MA 4/10/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Mary Peckham facilitating. 

Plymouth County Outreach Office, 62 Main Street, Suite 107, Kingston, MA. 

For anyone 18+ over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

FOR FUTURE DATES, CHECK OUT OUR MEETING SCHEDULE PAGE

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?

Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

To view the newsletter on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

The Sun Will Rise Foundation, 541 Washington St, Braintree MA 02184, USA

Powered by Squarespace

Unsubscribe

Week of 3/30/25

Grief Messes With Time

One of the stranger things about grief is how it messes with your sense of time. Some days feel like they last forever. Other times, whole weeks disappear and you don’t even know what happened. You forget dates, you mix up timelines, you feel like something was just yesterday even though it was months ago. Or even the opposite, it feels like years have passed when it’s only been weeks or days. I sometimes say it feels like Nick was here yesterday, but at exact same time it’s been a lifetime since I have seen him, heard him, given him a hug. I’m feeling overwhelmed at the thought that the ten year anniversary of his death is in May. How can it be 2025, when so much of me still feels that 2015 is so close by.

It’s disorienting. And it’s normal. Grief pulls your brain in a thousand directions. Your body’s just trying to keep up. So if time feels off, you’re not broken. You’re grieving.

Listen to Megan Devine talk about more grief and time.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

NEW MEETINGS & FACILITATORS!

We are excited to announce that JOURNEY TO HOPE has joined The Sun Will Rise! That means we now have four groups a month specifically for parents! We are thankful to Gail Langley & Robyn Stokowski who bring their years of facilitation to our organization! This group starts on 4/7/25 and will meet via zoom.

Meet Gail Langley: My co-founder Robyn and I met at a candlelight vigil hosted by NOWA on International Overdose Awareness Day. We had recently lost our son, Matt, to fentanyl overdose. My husband, Ken, and I were struggling for information and answers.  Robyn and I felt there were no resources or support groups at that time (about 7years ago) specifically dedicated to parents of victims of SUD. We felt our experiences with other grief groups did not address the devastating impact of loss and stigma on a parent losing a child to this disease. For me, Matty's addiction was my addiction as well. I was anxious, afraid and hypervigilant for years; I knew I needed help and hope. I needed to connect with other parents who truly knew how I felt. In talking to Robyn, I found that she understood; she got it; she got me. We knew there had to be other parents out there dealing with this unique dynamic. We presented the Journey to Hope Parent Grief Group concept to NOWA's parent company, and they agreed to allow us the use of their Zoom platform and physical space. Enter COVID, and we ultimately met via Zoom exclusively. We often have members from other states and all over Massachusetts. We knew we were on a journey to heal and used Robyn's daughter's middle name, Hope, to complete our name. Our goal is to provide understanding, information, love and support to other parents no matter where they are on their own personal Journey to Hope. 

Meet Robyn Stokowski: Robyn lost her daughter Amanda Hope on March 2, 2011, to an opioid overdose. Struggling through the early years of grief, she was unable to find support that would identify with stigma that surrounded the loss of her daughter. She had attended an Overdose Awareness vigil where she met Gail who had just recently lost her son to the disease, they immediately connected and Journey to Hope Parent Grief Peer Support Group was birthed. JTH has been meeting for 6 years surviving the pandemic reaching grieving parents throughout the United States.

Big News! A third People In Recovery (PIR) grief group starts up on 4/16/25. This will be our first hybrid PIR, meeting in-person in Weymouth MA and via zoom at the same time! Thanks to The Sun Will Rise’s Director Leslie Lagos for facilitating this new meeting at the Wey of Life Peer Recovery Center!

The month of April will also launch the new East Boston in-person group! A location that has needed a group for a long time finally has has access to in-person support and will meet at Recovery on the Harbor. This group is open to anyone 18+ and will be facilitated by our new facilitator Rose Stone. This group starts 4/23/25. Thanks Rose!

Meet Rose Stone: I became interested in being able to facilitate a group meeting as a support for the community. After my husband passed in 2016 I became aware that there was support for people like me that had lost a loved one to addiction. Yes, there were groups already happening before that, but I didn’t know of the resource until I was looking for the support for myself. I was married for 11 years we had 3 kids and felt I was alone with my grief. At the time I was working with Gavin foundation in their peer-to-peer support center in South Boston and experienced how peer support helped so many people. Only having 1 year sober I knew the connection of support meetings, like AA/NA, that helped me through moments in my life, but I needed a connection to other people that that experienced loss and were still able to live their lives and share their hope with others whose life changed from loss. Showing that carrying their love and honoring them was how you could carry their legacy and show others how to do the same thing. 

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Drumming Through Trauma April 27, 2025 12:30-2:00 pm Cotuit MA

Drumming isn’t just music. It’s movement, it’s rhythm, it’s release. A way to express what words can’t. Drumming Through Trauma is a space to let go, feel the beat and release what’s been held inside. No experience needed. Drumming Through Trauma – REGISTER HERE! Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Questions? Please contact Judy Kelly: 781-264-0557 judyannkelly@gmail.com

Remembering our Angels 5K TEAM!

Join the The Sun Will Rise team and walk/run with us at The Remembering our Angels 5k Run/Walk!!! The Sun Will Rise Foundation, Inc. is honored to walk again this year in support, remembrance and community. Last year, over 50 of us came together as a team and we’re ready to do it again! We walk to honor them, to support each other and to show that no one has to grieve alone. Join our team! If you have already registered individually and would like to join the team, just let me know

COMMUNITY

Backpack Drive

As usual, we asked and you answered…what an amazing response to the Backpack Drive for the Boston Backpack Project. Thanks for all your contributions. Each and every donation helps make a real difference!

Stop the Stigma 5K

It’s the season for the walks & races ! Gayle Ferrraro, group member and bereaved aunt to Colin, has been making a documentary about The Sun Will Rise Weymouth MA group and the grief support she found so helpful when she joined. She’s decided to create a team for this 5K and the documentary crew will be there. Please sign up if you would like to support her team in memory of her nephew. Colin's Crew at https://runsignup.com/Race/Register?raceId=106483 and select to join the team.

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, TAUNTON, MA 4/2/25 7:00-8:00 pm ET. 

Sandra Chase facilitating. 

Learn to Cope Office, 4 Court Street, #110, Taunton, MA.  

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

______________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, PORTLAND, ME 4/2/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Karen Walsh and Rachel Solomon facilitating. 

The Family Restored, 631 Stevens Avenue, Suite 205, Portland, ME 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_______________  

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, BRAVEHEARTS FALMOUTH MA 4/2/25 1:30-3:00 pm ET. 

Kerry Bickford facilitating.  

UU Falmouth MA, 840 Sandwich Road, East Falmouth, MA.

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

______________

Wednesday - ZOOM - 4/2/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET.

Robyn Houston-Bean facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89339848976?pwd=ayd1jLi4bBYapnBuybFIkmTE7fhDfq.1

Meeting ID: 893 3984 8976

Passcode: 135336 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

_______________

Thursday - GRIEVING GRANDPARENTS - ZOOM 4/3/25 5:30-6:30 pm ET. 

Kerry Bickford facilitating. 

For grandparents that have experienced the death of a family member due to substance use now navigating grief and other issues with their grandchildren. The focus of this Thursday group will be on the grandchildren.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2334755647

Meeting ID: 233 475 5647 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

______________

MOVING FORWARD-PEER GRIEF SUPPORT FOR PARENTS IN-PERSON, NORTH ATTLEBORO MA 4/6/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Kathi Sullivan facilitating. 

Sullivan’s Message Resource Community Center, 

218 Park Street, North Attleboro, MA For parents who have experienced the death of a child due to substance use.

FOR FUTURE DATES, CHECK OUT OUR MEETING SCHEDULE PAGE

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?

Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

To view the newsletter on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

The Sun Will Rise Foundation, 541 Washington St, Braintree MA 02184, USA

Powered by Squarespace

Unsubscribe

ReplyForward

Week 0f 3/23/25

Hello Friends,

This week we have three in-person regular groups, two specialty in-person groups, one regular zoom, one regular hybrid group and four specialty zoom groups. Login and location information follow at the bottom of this newsletter.

The Tired Side of Grief

Grief can be exhausting. Not just in the way people expect. It’s not crying all the time or talking about feelings. It’s the kind of tired that gets in your body and stays. I remember going to the grocery store early on and standing in the middle of the aisle, just staring, I think it was at the soups. I couldn’t remember what I needed. Couldn’t even really move. I was tired. My brain was too foggy. Everything felt like too much. I just wanted to be at home and do nothing. That kind of tired doesn’t go away with sleep. It takes time. It takes grace. If you're feeling that kind of tired, you’re not alone. A few small things can help on the heavy days. Give yourself permission to rest, even when your to do list is shouting at you. Take things one small task at a time. Set boundaries where you need to. Try to eat something, drink some water, or go outside. And most importantly, let yourself off the hook. Grief is hard work.

Below are some different types of rest you can practice.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM VISIT!

We had a gentle day at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, offering space for connection and healing through art. Join us at one of our upcoming events!

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

SADOD’s Tools & Strategies for Grieving as a Family Virtual Psychoeducational Workshop March 25th 6:30-8:00 pm ET

Grief is a deeply personal experience, and even when family members are grieving the same loss, they may process it in very different ways. Join us for a workshop that will explore practical tools and strategies for grieving together as a family, supporting one another despite varying needs and approaches. This workshop will take place virtually on Zoom. Learn more and register at bit.ly/family-grief-workshop. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org

Drumming Through Trauma April 27, 2025 12:30-2:00 pm Cotuit MA

Drumming isn’t just music. It’s movement, it’s rhythm, it’s release. A way to express what words can’t. Drumming Through Trauma is a space to let go, feel the beat and release what’s been held inside. No experience needed. Drumming Through Trauma – REGISTER HERE! Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Questions? Please contact Judy Kelly: 781-264-0557 judyannkelly@gmail.com

COMMUNITY

Last call for this backpack supply drive. Deadline is Friday 3/28/25. Drop off M-F 8:30-4:30 pm at 541 Washington St Braintree MA. Thanks to everyone who has donated so far!

Long time Quincy MA group members Elaine & Kevin are hosting an event on 4/25/25 in Dorchester MA in honor of their son Kevin. Please join us to support them!

JOIN OUR 5K TEAM!

Join the The Sun Will Rise team and walk/run with us at The Remembering our Angels 5k Run/Walk!!! The Sun Will Rise Foundation, Inc. is honored to walk again this year in support, remembrance and community. Last year, over 50 of us came together as a team and we’re ready to do it again! We walk to honor them, to support each other and to show that no one has to grieve alone. Join our team! If you have already registered individually and would like to join the team, just let me know

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

MEETING CHANGES

New time: Young People in-person meeting changes to 6:00-7:30 pm ET

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Monday - IN-PERSON, WEYMOUTH MA 3/24/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Darlene Mersereau facilitating. 

Crossroads Church, 241 Broad Street, Weymouth, MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

__________________

Monday - Christian Faith Based Hope After Loss- IN-PERSON MARLBOROUGH, MA 3/24/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Cheryl Juaire facilitating.  

Greater Grace Christian Fellowship, 187 Pleasant St Marlborough, MA.  

For anyone 18 and over of the Christian faith who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.  

______________________

Monday - ZOOM 3/24/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Don Lipstein facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84716470892

Meeting ID: 847 1647 0892 or

One tap mobile 16469313860

______________

Tuesday - HYBRID - LEARNING TO COPE WITH GRIEF MEETING - IN-PERSON & ZOOM, GLOUCESTER, MA  3/25/25 7:00-8:00 pm ET. 

Colleen and Gordon Bullard facilitating. 

CORE Peer Recovery and Resource Center 11 - 15 Parker Street, Gloucester, MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83349371338?pwd=RXM5RnRINGJKL21HTFhiSVYyR1NCdz09

Meeting ID: 833 4937 1338

Passcode: 560270

______________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, BRIDGEWATER, MA 3/25/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Natalie Patricio facilitating. 

Trinity Episcopal Church 91 Main St Bridgewater MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_________________

Tuesday - MEN’S ONLY - ZOOM 3/25/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Dave Swindell and Gary Carter facilitating. 

For men 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/96961980647?pwd=cFVTMHR3VE9COGc3UGdIZHo4TWVaZz09#success

Meeting ID: 969 6198 0647

Password: 300626 or 

One tap mobile 16465588656

_______________

Tuesday - PARTNER & SPOUSE - ZOOM 3/25/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET.

Kar-Kate Parenteau facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of a partner, spouse or significant other due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86578435343?pwd=avNFpCQpiLGCsKRKFEsexJj7E87gM5.1

Meeting ID: 865 7843 5343

Passcode: 287422 or

One tap mobile: 13052241968

_______________

Wednesday - PEOPLE IN RECOVERY - ZOOM 3/26/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Leslie Lagos facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who identifies as being in recovery from any substance including alcohol who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86324167889?pwd=nrGKjzkr7MyLBnQBfLoUj9Sc43O1r6.1

Meeting ID: 863 2416 7889

Passcode: 428961

____________

NEW BEGINNINGS GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP - ZOOM 3/27/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Janice Kaplan facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over newly bereaved due to substance use related causes and/or new to The Sun Will Rise Foundation.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/93853426722?pwd=zhxz5RYig8tunxUyGp6K8Uk19XKxgw.1

Meeting ID: 938 5342 6722

Passcode: 756069 or

One tap mobile 13017158592

____________

IN-PERSON, BRIGHTON, MA 3/27/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Liz Driscoll facilitating. 

PSF Community Center, 640 Washington Street, New Balance Room, Lower Level, Brighton, MA. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

___________

YOUNG PERSON MEETING, IN-PERSON, MEDFORD, MA 3/30/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Michelle Rueda and Chloe Brosnan co-facilitating. 

96 Winchester Street, Medford, MA.   

For anyone 18-35 who has experienced the death of someone they care about to substance use.

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?

Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

To view the newsletter on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

Week of 3/16/25

The Unexpected People Who Showed Up

Grief does strange things to relationships. Some people you thought would be there disappear. They don’t know what to say. They get uncomfortable. They mean well, but they step back instead of stepping up. And then, sometimes, the opposite happens. Someone you barely knew shows up and for whatever reason they just get it.

Maybe it’s a coworker who suddenly becomes your person. Maybe it’s a neighbor who starts checking in. Maybe it’s someone you only knew in passing, but they share their own story and for a moment, you don’t feel so alone. I had that happen. A friend of a friend reached out in those early days, first over Messenger, then text, then in person. Little by little, they helped me through those horrible first months when I felt couldn’t even breathe. I don’t even know if she realized how much it meant.

Have you had someone unexpected show up for you in your grief? Someone who made a difference, even in a small way? We’d love to hear about that person and how and why what they did helped. Share about them on our facebook page.

If you haven’t found someone to show up for you, look here, in our support groups. Relationships and communities built by peers supporting each other. The person that gets it may be one zoom, one in-person group or one event away.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

NEW ZOOM GROUP! WEST COAST ZOOM!

Thanks to our facilitator Randi Schalet, people in later time zones will now have an easier time joining a meeting! Of course anyone from any time zone is welcome! That means night owls on the east coast might find this a group a great match! First meeting is 3/16/25.

MEETING CHANGES

Hanson MA in-person group starts back up this week.

LGBTQ zoom group on pause.

Quincy MA in-person not meeting this month.

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Visit Sunday March 23, 2025 11:00 am Boston MA

Please join us! Visiting together allows us to experience beauty, history and connection in a space shaped by resilience and creativity. Did you know Isabella was a bereaved mother? Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. For questions, please contact Cindy Kaplan at (508) 269-8428. Register Here.

SADOD’s Tools & Strategies for Grieving as a Family Virtual Psychoeducational Workshop March 25th 6:30-8:00 pm ET

Grief is a deeply personal experience, and even when family members are grieving the same loss, they may process it in very different ways. Join us for a workshop that will explore practical tools and strategies for grieving together as a family, supporting one another despite varying needs and approaches. This workshop will take place virtually on Zoom. Learn more and register at bit.ly/family-grief-workshop. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org

NEW EVENT! Drumming Through Trauma April 27, 2025 12:30-2:00 pm Cotuit MA

Drumming isn’t just music. It’s movement, it’s rhythm, it’s release. A way to express what words can’t. Drumming Through Trauma is a space to let go, feel the beat and release what’s been held inside. No experience needed. Drumming Through Trauma – REGISTER HERE! Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Questions? Please contact Judy Kelly: 781-264-0557 judyannkelly@gmail.com

FINISHED PRODUCTS FROM CLAY THERAPY ACTIVITY

Handmade with love, each box has it’s own unique charm. Please join us for one of our next free activities.

OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND UPDATES

Do you know of any listening sessions in your area? Let me know and I will add them here.

Medfield MA

Virtual listening session Tuesday 3/18/25. Use QR code to sign up.

Northeast MA Region Communities

Join the Northeast Region (see map below) listening session on Wednesday, March 19th from 1:30-5:30pm at the Lynn City Hall Auditorium. Sign up here.

Our Director Leslie Lagos will be on the panel representing people bereaved due to substance use related causes.

COMMUNITY UPDATES

Please help donate items or money so we can support the homeless in Boston. Drop off M-F 8:30-4:30pm. Thanks to everyone who has donated so far!

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Monday - GRIEVING GRANDPARENTS - ZOOM  3/17/25 12:00-1:00 pm ET. 

Kerry Bickford facilitating. 

For grandparents that have experienced the death or estrangement of a grandchild due to substance use (theirs or their parents.)  The focus of this Monday  group will be on the grandparents.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2334755647

Meeting ID: 233 475 5647 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

__________________

Monday - WEST COAST ZOOM - 3/17/25 6:00-7:30 pm PT. (9-10:30 ET)

Randi Schalet facilitating.

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/94271526145?pwd=3rKLM00dxB7ims2CKBZaq0JF6QSH1U.1

Meeting ID: 942 7152 6145

Passcode: 553677

One tap mobile 16469313860

________________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, MATTHEW’S CANDLE, HANSON, MA 3/18/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Mary Peckham facilitating. 

Calvary Baptist Church, 429 Monponsett Street, Hanson, MA  

For anyone 18+ over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_______________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, CHARLESTOWN, MA 3/19/25 6:00-7:00 pm ET. 

Shannon Lundin & Michael Cain facilitating. 

St. John’s Church  27 Devens St 2nd Floor Charlestown MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

________________

Wednesday - ZOOM 3/19/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Karen Walsh and Rachel Solomon facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86470429283 

________________

Wednesday - SIBLING ZOOM 3/19/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Miriah Corso facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of a sibling due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92909305605?pwd=IacFroINAxOZi94CLJRXZeTvbaL2lK.1

Meeting ID: 929 0930 5605

Passcode: 131849 or

One tap mobile 13126266799

__________________

Special Event! - Sunday 3/23/25 - 11:00-1:00 PM ET 

ISABELLA STEWART GARDNER MUSEUM VISIT

REGISTER HERE

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?

Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

To view the newsletter on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

Week of 3/9/25

Men and Grief

Grief doesn’t have a rulebook, but if it did, many men might say their’s would read, “Be strong. Hold it in. Don’t cry.” Society doesn’t always make space for men to grieve the way they need to so a lot of them end up doing it alone. Some throw themselves into work. Some keep busy so they don’t have to think about it. Some shut down because they don’t know what else to do. And some just don’t have a place where they feel safe enough to let it out.

That’s why spaces like our Men’s Grief Support Group matter. It’s not about talking if you don’t want to. It’s about knowing you don’t have to carry it by yourself. There’s something powerful about being with other men who get it.

But not everyone wants to join a group and that’s okay too. If you’re grieving and looking for ways to navigate it on your own terms, sometimes movement helps whether it’s walking, hiking, working out or even hitting a punching bag just to get some of that heaviness out of your body. Writing things down, even if no one ever sees it, can clear some of the noise in your head. Listening to music that resonates can help you let your emotions flow. Talking to someone who understands, even if it’s just one person, can make a difference. And for a lot of men, action speaks louder than words. Working with your hands and fixing something, building something or playing an instrument can give grief an outlet when talking about it doesn’t feel right.

If you, or someone you know, could use a space where grief doesn’t have to be hidden, our men’s group is meeting this week. No pressure. No expectations. Just a place where you can show up however you need to. And FYI: All our groups (except the Mom’s group) welcome men if they fit the other criteria for the group.

Read more: The Problem of Male Grief

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

MEETING CHANGES

Kingston MA in-person group starts back up this week.

A SECOND ZOOM MEETING FOR THE PEOPLE IN RECOVERY GRIEF GROUP!

Thanks to our new facilitators Franklin Cook and Tavyn Thuringer we now have a second zoom grief group meeting every month for People In Recovery. Please note, each group has it’s own zoom link. First meeting with the new facilitators is 3/12/25.

NEW IN-PERSON GRIEF GROUP IN AUBURN MA!

We have collaborated with the KIVA Centers to bring a grief group to Auburn MA! Our amazing facilitator Kathryn Peirce, will be offering the group starting this week on 3/12/25. For those of you in the Worcester area, here’s your chance to meet in-person!

MOVING FORWARD PARENTS ZOOM GROUP!

We introduced you to Kathi Sullivan a couple weeks ago as she started facilitating the in-person version of this group. This week starts a once a month zoom for parents.

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Visit Sunday March 23, 2025 11:00 am Boston MA

Please join us! Visiting together allows us to experience beauty, history and connection in a space shaped by resilience and creativity. Did you know Isabella was a bereaved mother? Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. If you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days notice, the deposit is not refundable. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. For questions, please contact Cindy Kaplan at (508) 269-8428. Register Here.

SADOD’s Tools & Strategies for Grieving as a Family Virtual Psychoeducational Workshop March 25th 6:30-8:00 pm ET

Grief is a deeply personal experience, and even when family members are grieving the same loss, they may process it in very different ways. One person may want to talk about their pain, while another may prefer to grieve quietly. Since there is no “right” way to grieve, it’s important to make space for these differences within the family. Join us for a workshop that will explore practical tools and strategies for grieving together as a family, supporting one another despite varying needs and approaches. This workshop will take place virtually on Zoom. Learn more and register at bit.ly/family-grief-workshop. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org

OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND UPDATES

Do you know of any listening sessions in your area? Let me know and I will add them here.

Northeast Region Communities

MA Office of Health & Human Services (EOHHS), and the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) are hosting a series of listening sessions on the opioid settlement funds. The listening sessions are intended to provide information about the state’s portion of the opioid settlement funds and how these monies are being used to align with the strategic priorities identified by the Opioid Recovery & Remediation Fund (ORRF) Advisory Council. More importantly, community members will have an opportunity to provide input on how these funds should be used in the future to support individuals and families disproportionately impacted by the overdose crisis. The first listening session will be held in the Northeast Region (see map below) on Wednesday, March 19th from 1:30-5:30pm at the Lynn City Hall Auditorium. Sign up here.

COMMUNITY UPDATES

Please help donate items or monetarily via Venmo so we can support the homeless in Boston.

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Monday - IN-PERSON, WEYMOUTH MA 3/10/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET.

Darlene Mersereau facilitating. 

Crossroads Church, 241 Broad Street, Weymouth, MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_________________

Monday - Christian Faith Based Hope After Loss - IN-PERSON MARLBOROUGH, MA 3/10/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Cheryl Juaire facilitating.  

Greater Grace Christian Fellowship, 187 Pleasant St Marlborough MA.  

For anyone 18 and over of the Christian faith who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.  There is a special sign-up process for this group to ensure a supportive and understanding environment for all participants.

_______________

Monday - MOM’S ONLY - ZOOM 3/10/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Tracy Carter and Karen Swindell facilitating.

For mothers who have experienced the death of a child(ren) due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81904227569?pwd=YnSJwFTN6DFsHTYnPhfMHqUue9ZaL9.1

Meeting ID: 819 0422 7569

Passcode: 807237 or

One tap mobile 13052241968

________________

Monday - SUICIDE RELATED DEATH- ZOOM 3/10/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET.

Don Lipstein facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.  Whether you know for sure that suicide was the cause of death or you are uncertain, you will find support here.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84104821860?pwd=gwiYOLLDBU5dcbDRYCjQW3bxKYQ9DK.1

Meeting ID: 841 0482 1860

Passcode: 886489 or

One tap mobile 13017158592

________________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, NATHAN’S CIRCLE, WEST BARNSTABLE, MA 3/11/25 5:30-7:00 pm ET. 

Kerry and Richard Bickford facilitating. 

Compass Rose Center 1106 Main St West Barnstable MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_______________  

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, WINTHROP, MA 3/11/25 4:30-6:00 pm ET. 

JoAnn Rivieccio facilitating. 

Odd Fellows Lodge, side entrance, 196 Winthrop Street, Winthrop, MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_______________

Tuesday - PARTNER & SPOUSE - ZOOM 3/11/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Kar-Kate Parenteau facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of a partner, spouse or significant other due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86578435343?pwd=avNFpCQpiLGCsKRKFEsexJj7E87gM5.1

Meeting ID: 865 7843 5343

Passcode: 287422 or

One tap mobile: 13052241968

________________

Tuesday - MEN’S ONLY - ZOOM 3/11/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Dave Swindell and Gary Carter facilitating. 

For men 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/96961980647?pwd=cFVTMHR3VE9COGc3UGdIZHo4TWVaZz09#success

Meeting ID: 969 6198 0647

Password: 300626 or 

One tap mobile 16465588656

_______________

Wednesday - PEOPLE IN RECOVERY - ZOOM 3/12/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Franklin Cook facilitating/Tavyn Thuringer co-facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who identifies as being in recovery from any substance including alcohol who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86983267032?pwd=PVCMDdMoBrdSoZJ3G52Mrdu7FMLuvT.1

Meeting ID: 869 8326 7032

Passcode: 980796

_____________

Wednesday - GRIEVING MULTIPLE LOVED ONES - ZOOM 3/12/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Annie Avitabile facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of multiple loved ones due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88620038150?pwd=tPIsgXzIez3IJB2Ly7SoeSyNN8sYkm.1

Meeting ID: 886 2003 8150

Passcode: 358575 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

_____________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, AUBURN, MA 3/12/25 3:00-4:00 pm ET. 

Kathryn Peirce facilitating.  

Kiva Centers, 206 Southbridge Street, Auburn, MA. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_____________

Thursday - YOUNG PERSON MEETING - ZOOM 3/13/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Chloe Brosnan facilitating. 

For anyone 18-35 who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92570225816?pwd=b5V5xeeVB3I3O3Qu32Me4V7WfrbXPm.1

Meeting ID: 925 7022 5816

Passcode: 646974

One tap mobile 16465588656

_____________

Thursday - IN-PERSON, MATTHEW’S CANDLE, KINGSTON, MA 3/13/25 7:00--8:30 pm ET. 

Mary Peckham facilitating. 

Plymouth County Outreach Office, 62 Main Street, Suite 107, Kingston, MA. 

For anyone 18+ over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_______________

Sunday ON ZOOM- MOVING FORWARD-PEER GRIEF SUPPORT FOR PARENTS - 3/16/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Kathi Sullivan facilitating. 

For parents who have experienced the death of a child due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81399455192?pwd=abdXEKMYpoAXvdsafjI4uf3jBKjykn.1

Meeting ID: 813 9945 5192

Passcode: forward or

One tap mobile 16465588656

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?

Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

To view the newsletter on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwi

Week of 3/2/25

Helping Others When We’re Hurting

In my early days of grief I didn’t know what to do with myself. The pain was too big and the quiet was too loud. I ended up finding an organization that helped people experiencing homelessness on the streets of Boston. Late at night we’d walk through the city, talking to people, handing out supplies, just being there. A lot of them were struggling with substance use or mental health challenges. Some wanted help. Some just wanted to be seen.

I didn’t go into it thinking it would help me, but it did. In a time when I felt lost and disconnected, it gave me purpose. It reminded me that even in the hardest moments, showing up for someone else can be healing. Grief can make us feel helpless. But sometimes, stepping outside of ourselves, even just for a little while, can bring a kind of peace we don’t expect.

As that group disbanded, our organization started doing collections for the homeless in other communities as well. This month we will be supporting the organization The Boston Backpack Project by doing a collection drive for their outreach. This organization was created by bereaved mom, Elaine Mitrano, in memory of her son Michael.

Have you ever found comfort in helping others during your grief? Share what you’ve done on our private facebook page. It may inspire another griever! Read more about volunteering as a coping strategy.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

MEETING CHANGES

NEW MEETING LOCATION FOR THE BRAVEHEARTS FALMOUTH MA GROUP!

The BraveHearts peer grief support meeting is moving! Starting this week, the new location address is 840 Sandwich Rd Falmouth MA. Are you located on the cape? Please join us!

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Visit Sunday March 23, 2025 11:00 am Boston MA

Please join us! Visiting together allows us to experience beauty, history and connection in a space shaped by resilience and creativity. Did you know Isabella was a bereaved mother? Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. If you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days notice, the deposit is not refundable. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. For questions, please contact Cindy Kaplan at (508) 269-8428. Register Here.

 SADOD’s Tools & Strategies for Grieving as a Family Virtual Psychoeducational Workshop March 25th 6:30-8:00 pm ET

Grief is a deeply personal experience, and even when family members are grieving the same loss, they may process it in very different ways. One person may want to talk about their pain, while another may prefer to grieve quietly. Since there is no “right” way to grieve, it’s important to make space for these differences within the family. Join us for a workshop that will explore practical tools and strategies for grieving together as a family, supporting one another despite varying needs and approaches. This workshop will take place virtually on Zoom. Learn more and register at bit.ly/family-grief-workshop. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org

OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND UPDATES

MILTON MA RESIDENTS’ VOICES NEEDED!

This week! Two different focus groups. Please join in the conversation. The first group is for people who have someone they care about that currently or in the past has had opioid related issues or for anyone who has had someone they care about die due to opioid use. The second group is for individuals who are in recovery from opioid related issues. Please share with anyone you know who could lend their voice to this topic. Sign up here.

Northeast Region Communities

MA Office of Health & Human Services (EOHHS), and the Attorney General’s Office (AGO) are hosting a series of listening sessions on the opioid settlement funds. The listening sessions are intended to provide information about the state’s portion of the opioid settlement funds and how these monies are being used to align with the strategic priorities identified by the Opioid Recovery & Remediation Fund (ORRF) Advisory Council. More importantly, community members will have an opportunity to provide input on how these funds should be used in the future to support individuals and families disproportionately impacted by the overdose crisis. The first listening session will be held in the Northeast Region (see map below) on Wednesday, March 19th from 1:30-5:30pm at the Lynn City Hall Auditorium. Sign up here.

COMMUNITY UPDATES

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within th last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Monday - IN-PERSON, WEYMOUTH MA 3/3/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Darlene Mersereau facilitating. 

Crossroads Church, 241 Broad Street, Weymouth, MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_______________

Monday - ZOOM - 3/3/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET.

Aileen Lovejoy & Deb Dowd-Foley facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86930927959?pwd=i4N7hWEhAtD4HPnBKCBi9LGEF7AGbt.1 

Meeting ID: 869 3092 7959

Passcode: 239207 or

One tap mobile +16469313860

______________  

New location!! Wednesday - IN-PERSON, BRAVEHEARTS FALMOUTH MA 3/5/25 1:30-3:00 pm ET.

Kerry Bickford facilitating.  

UU Falmouth MA, 840 Sandwich Road, East Falmouth, MA. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

______________

Wednesday - ZOOM - 3/5/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Robyn Houston-Bean facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89339848976?pwd=ayd1jLi4bBYapnBuybFIkmTE7fhDfq.1

Meeting ID: 893 3984 8976

Passcode: 135336 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

____________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, TAUNTON, MA 3/5/25 7:00-8:00 pm ET. 

Sandra Chase facilitating. 

Learn to Cope Office, 4 Court Street, #110, Taunton, MA. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

______________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, PORTLAND, ME 3/5/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Karen Walsh and Rachel Solomon facilitating. 

The Family Restored, 631 Stevens Avenue, Suite 205, Portland, ME 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_______________  

Thursday - GRIEVING GRANDPARENTS - ZOOM 3/6/25 5:30-6:30 pm ET. 

Kerry Bickford facilitating. 

For grandparents that have experienced the death of a family member due to substance use now navigating grief and other issues with their grandchildren. The focus of this Thursday group will be on the grandchildren.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2334755647

Meeting ID: 233 475 5647 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?

Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

To view the newsletter on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

Week of 2/23/25

In 2016, nine months after Nick died, I wrote this. I didn’t plan to share it, but I set it out into the world back then. It felt like time to share it again. Maybe you can relate. Maybe you’ve had days when you feel this way too. If you have, I want you to know you’re not alone in feeling this way.

I JUST DON’T

I just don't. I don't want this life. I don't want to facilitate a grief group. I don't want to make deliveries to the addicted on the street. I don't want to stand at podium and tell strangers about Nick. I don't want to meet with local and state politicians and listen to them blather. I don't want to go to meetings where they gather and decipher data on overdoses. I don't want to hold a vigil candle in my hand and watch the wax drip. I don't want to be a face of overdose death in my town. I don't want people to avoid me in the supermarket. I don't want to tend to a grave. I don't want to have a bedroom frozen in time. I don't want to hear my husband silently weep when he thinks I'm asleep. I don't want to wake up in a panic after only two hours of fitful sleep. I don't want to listen to my daughter sob as she tries to explain how much her heart aches. I don't want to watch my son try to cope in self imposed silence with the loss of his big brother. I don't want to feel like I have a knife in my lungs every time I try to take a breathe. I don't want to walk around with eyes swollen and blurry from crying so much. I don't want to hold his blanket to my face so I can smell him. I don't want to never hold him again. I don't want an empty chair. I don't want to have only memories. I don't want to stare blankly at the rest of the world as it continues to turn. I don't want this life. I just don't.

Life had turned upside down for me. It felt unbearable. Knowing that these feelings are common and normal in grief can help. Read more: You’re Not Crazy-You’re Grieving

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

FOR THE NEWLY BEREAVED AND THOSE NEW TO THE SUN WILL RISE

We’re introducing a new peer grief support group: New Beginnings. Designed for those who are newly bereaved and those new to The Sun Will Rise. This group offers a welcoming space to connect, share and find support from others who understand the weight of early grief. If you're looking for a place to start, New Beginnings will help you navigate our offerings while providing a compassionate community to walk alongside you.

The group is facilitated by our long-standing facilitator, Janice Kaplan, who brings years of experience in peer support, offering guidance and connection as you take your first steps in our community.

CREATING AND REMEMBERING TOGETHER AT OUR CLAY THERAPY EVENT!

REMINDER ABOUT THESE TWO ADDITIONAL NEW GROUPS STARTING THIS WEEK!

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

SADOD’s Supporting Grieving Grands Virtual Workshop Tuesday, 2/25/25 6:30 - 8:00 pm ET

Substance use related deaths leave behind grieving families, including grandparents and other relatives who often take on the role of caregiver. This workshop, led by TSWR Senior Facilitator & SADOD's Peer Grief Support Specialist focusing on grieving grand), Kerry Bickford, Nancy Frumer Styron (Clinical Director of The Children’s Room), and Deb Tobin (Bereaved Mother Raising a Grandchild), will focus on supporting grieving grands and those who care for them. It’s open to grieving grands, those looking to help them, and anyone interested in this topic. Register at bit.ly/grieving-grands-workshop. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org 

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Visit Sunday March 23, 2025 11:00 am Boston MA

Visiting together allows us to experience beauty, history and connection in a space shaped by resilience and creativity. Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. If you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days notice, the deposit is not refundable. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. For questions, please contact Cindy Kaplan at (508) 269-8428. Register Here.

MILTON MA RESIDENTS’ VOICES NEEDED!

Two different focus groups. Please join in the conversation. The first group is for people who have someone they care about that currently or in the past has had opioid related issues or for anyone who has had someone they care about die due to opioid use. The second group is for individuals who are in recovery from opioid related issues. Please share with anyone you know who could lend their voice to this topic.

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Meeting notes: Faith based not meeting this week. Young People Sunday group move new time. Three new offerings this week!

Monday - GRIEVING GRANDPARENTS - ZOOM  2/24/25 12:00-1:00 pm ET. (Rescheduled from 2/17 due to holiday)

Kerry Bickford facilitating. 

For grandparents that have experienced the death or estrangement of a grandchild due to substance use (theirs or their parents.)  The focus of this Monday  group will be on the grandparent. 

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2334755647

Meeting ID: 233 475 5647 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

_______________

Monday - IN-PERSON, WEYMOUTH MA 2/24/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Darlene Mersereau facilitating. 

Crossroads Church, 241 Broad Street, Weymouth, MA

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

______________

Monday - ZOOM 2/24/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Don Lipstein facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84716470892

Meeting ID: 847 1647 0892 or

One tap mobile 16469313860

_______________

Tuesday - HYBRID - LEARNING TO COPE WITH GRIEF MEETING - IN-PERSON & ZOOM, GLOUCESTER, MA  2/25/25 7:00-8:00 pm ET. 

Colleen and Gordon Bullard facilitating. 

CORE Peer Recovery and Resource Center 11 - 15 Parker Street, Gloucester, MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83349371338?pwd=RXM5RnRINGJKL21HTFhiSVYyR1NCdz09

Meeting ID: 833 4937 1338

Passcode: 560270

_______________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, BRIDGEWATER, MA 2/25/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Natalie Patricio facilitating. 

Trinity Episcopal Church 91 Main St Bridgewater MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_____________

Tuesday - MEN’S ONLY - ZOOM 2/25/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Dave Swindell and Gary Carter facilitating. 

For men 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/96961980647?pwd=cFVTMHR3VE9COGc3UGdIZHo4TWVaZz09#success

Meeting ID: 969 6198 0647

Password: 300626 or One tap mobile 16465588656

_______________

Tuesday - PARTNER & SPOUSE - ZOOM 2/25/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Kar-Kate Parenteau facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of a partner, spouse or significant other due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86578435343?pwd=avNFpCQpiLGCsKRKFEsexJj7E87gM5.1

Meeting ID: 865 7843 5343

Passcode: 287422 or

One tap mobile: 13052241968

______________

Wednesday - PEOPLE IN RECOVERY - ZOOM 2/26/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Leslie Lagos facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who identifies as being in recovery from any substance or alcohol who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86324167889?pwd=nrGKjzkr7MyLBnQBfLoUj9Sc43O1r6.1

Meeting ID: 863 2416 7889

Passcode: 428961

________________

New Offering!! Thursday- NEW BEGINNINGS GRIEF SUPPORT GROUP - ZOOM 2/27/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Janice Kaplan facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over newly bereaved due to substance use related causes and/or new to The Sun Will Rise Foundation.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/93853426722?pwd=zhxz5RYig8tunxUyGp6K8Uk19XKxgw.1

Meeting ID: 938 5342 6722

Passcode: 756069 or

One tap mobile 13017158592

________________

New Offering!! Thursday - IN-PERSON, BRIGHTON, MA 2/27/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Liz Driscoll facilitating. 

PSF Community Center, 640 Washington Street, New Balance Room, Lower Level, Brighton, MA. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

______________

New Time! Sunday - YOUNG PERSON MEETING, IN-PERSON, MEDFORD, MA 3/2/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Michelle Rueda and Chloe Brosnan co-facilitating. 

96 Winchester Street, Medford, MA.   

For anyone 18-35 who has experienced the death of someone they care about to substance use.

_________________

New Offering!! Sunday - MOVING FORWARD-PEER GRIEF SUPPORT FOR PARENTS IN-PERSON, ATTLEBORO MA 3/2/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET.

Kathi Sullivan facilitating. 

Sullivan’s Message Resource Community Center, 218 Park Street, North Attleboro, MA

For parents who have experienced the death of a child due to substance use.

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?

Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

To view the newsletter on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

Week of 2/16/25

The Heart of Our Groups… Our Peer Grief Support Facilitators

At The Sun Will Rise, our peer grief support groups are built on the simple but powerful idea that no one should have to grieve alone. What makes these groups work isn’t just the space they provide, it’s also the people who facilitate them. Our facilitators aren’t therapists or counselors, they are people who have walked this road themselves. They understand because they’ve lived it.

Peer facilitators create a space where people grieving substance use related deaths can speak freely without judgment or explanation. They hold space for the stories, the hard days and the small victories. Their presence reminds us that while grief changes, it doesn’t have to be carried alone.

We’re excited to welcome three new facilitators and two new groups to expand our reach. A new group in Brighton, MA facilitated by Liz Driscoll, will provide more opportunities for in-person connection. We’re also launching a new parents’ group, facilitated by Kathi Sullivan, meeting in person one week in North Attleboro and via Zoom another week, offering support specifically for parents who have experienced the death of a child. We are also thrilled that Natalie Patricio, who you’ve met as being a member of the events committee, is now going to take over facilitation of the Bridgewater MA group. And this is just the beginning! Next week, we’ll be announcing more new groups and facilitators to help reach even more people who need support.

If you’ve been looking for a space where others understand, we invite you to join us. And if you’re ever interested in volunteering yourself, let’s talk. Just complete this facilitator inquiry form or volunteer inquiry form. The more we show up for each other, the stronger our community becomes.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

Meet Liz Driscoll! Hello! I’m a Boston native currently working in crisis intervention and disability advocacy.  I’ve been in the harm reduction space for nearly a decade, introduced to the principles while studying criminology and psychology in college. After experiencing the death of numerous friends, coworkers, and peers to the overdose crisis, I switched the focus of my academic research to the topic of harm-reduction, studying the impacts of safe consumption sites in Europe and Canada.

Intimately aware of the isolation and stigmatization that comes along with this grief, I’m dedicated to creating accessible and safe spaces for us to process and navigate individual grief while finding solace in our connections and shared common ground of other community members. Outside of work, I can be found hunting mushrooms in the woods with my nine year-old dog Scout or at home practicing yoga with my cats. Liz will facilitate the Brighton MA group starting 2/27/25.

Meet Kathi Sullivan! They say a moment in your life can change who you are. On October 17, 2008, Kathi Sullivan had that moment. Kathi's 17-year-old daughter Taylor passed away from underage drinking after attending a homecoming game and a series of underage drinking parties her senior year in high school. After enduring a three-day search, Taylor was found drowned in two feet of water, after getting lost from an outside party in the woods at an abandoned airport in Norfolk, MA.

Two months later, she began to speak about substance use, alcohol awareness, mental health, wellness, and the importance of making good choices. Kathi met Chris Sullivan, whom was only 5 weeks sober, when he attended her first parent night she presented. Two years later, they married and now share about substance use, underage drinking and the importance of mental health awareness & simply making good choices across the country. During Covid, 2020, they opened the doors to a small resource center where people can come and connect and seek guidance in the world of recovery.

As a Mom who’s child has died, Kathi knows the importance of having someone to be able to talk to that has also experienced the death of a child. She started a virtual meeting in 2020 called “Moving Forward Mommas” for Mom’s whose child died by any circumstance. Kathi is a lifelong Plainville, MA resident and shares her home with her husband of 14 years, Chris and their FOUR dogs. Besides being Taylor’s Mom, she is blessed with two sons, Zachary & Logan and is the proud grandmother to Ryan, Audrey, Reese, Finn, Natalia & Emelia. She will facilitate the new Moving Forward Parents Group starting March 2, 2025.

Since Natalie has already introduced herself before, she wanted you to know more about Nelson, her twin brother who died two and a half years ago due to cirrhosis and AUD. From Natalie Patricio: We were born an almost unheard of nearly 50 minutes apart. I was born first and Nelson was second-he was delivered breech with his feet first. He needed emergent care immediately after having been deprived of oxygen during delivery. I liked to joke and say he was a trouble maker literally from birth (he agreed). It was proof he did things his way and he was strong and survived against the odds. 

We had been inseparable our entire lives-even as adults we had been neighbors, living directly across the street from each other. Nelson was unforgettable with intense blue eyes and a mischievous grin. He was magnetic, charming, and fearless. He was great with his hands-could draw, paint, repair, or build just about anything. He made everything fun, even wearing a Big Bad Wolf costume on Halloween just a few years ago to match me when I was Little Red Riding Hood. 

Natalie says that telling our stories to others who will really listen is so powerful. Hearing others is equally as important-we relate, we learn, we hold space for them. Having a safe space to honor, remember, and any other feelings we want to share has been my life-line and I hope it will be for others. Natalie starts facilitating the Bridgewater MA group on 2/25/25.

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Clay Therapy Workshop Monday February 17, 2025 2:00-4:00pm Norwell MA

One ticket remains. Register here. Wait list also available. Questions? Please contact Judy Kelly: 781-264-0557 judyannkelly@gmail.com

SADOD’s Supporting Grieving Grands Virtual Workshop Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 6:30 - 8:00 pm ET

Substance use related deaths leave behind grieving families, including grandparents and other relatives who often take on the role of caregiver. This workshop, led by TSWR Senior Facilitator & SADOD's Peer Grief Support Specialist focusing on grieving grand), Kerry Bickford, Nancy Frumer Styron (Clinical Director of The Children’s Room), and Deb Tobin (Bereaved Mother Raising a Grandchild), will focus on supporting grieving grands and those who care for them. It’s open to grieving grands, those looking to help them, and anyone interested in this topic. Register at bit.ly/grieving-grands-workshop. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org 

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

Meeting notes: Hanson MA & LGBTQ on pause. Young People Sunday group moved to 3/2/25 new time.

Monday GRIEVING GRANDPARENTS ZOOM  2/17/25 12:00-1:00 pm ET.

Kerry Bickford facilitating.

For grandparents that have experienced the death or estrangement of a grandchild due to substance use (theirs or their parents.)  The focus of this Monday  group will be on the grandparents.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2334755647

Meeting ID: 233 475 5647 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

_______________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, QUINCY, MA 2/18/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET.

Robyn Houston-Bean facilitating.

New Way Recovery, 85 Quincy Avenue, Quincy, MA

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_______________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, BRAVEHEARTS FALMOUTH MA 2/19/25 1:30-3:00 pm ET.

Kerry Bickford facilitating.

Learn to Cope Office 24 Spring Bars Road, Suite 1A, Falmouth MA.

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_____________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, CHARLESTOWN, MA 2/19/25 6:00-7:00 pm ET.

Shannon Lundin & Michael Cain facilitating. 

St. John’s Church  27 Devens St 2nd Floor Charlestown MA

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

______________

Wednesday - ZOOM 2/19/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET.

Karen Walsh and Rachel Solomon facilitating.

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86470429283

_____________

Wednesday - SIBLING ZOOM 2/19/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET.

Miriah Corso facilitating.

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of a sibling due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92909305605?pwd=IacFroINAxOZi94CLJRXZeTvbaL2lK.1

Meeting ID: 929 0930 5605

Passcode: 131849 or

One tap mobile 13126266799

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?

Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

To view the newsletter on our website, please enter the password: grief

Week of 2/9/25

Valentine’s Day

Valentine’s Day can be especially tough when the person who once filled the space next to you is gone. The commercials, the cards, the social media posts… ugh the reminders can be everywhere.

For some people, the day passes like any other, just another date on the calendar to get through. For others, it brings a sadness, a longing for the way things used to be. If this holiday feels hard, this is a reminder that you don’t have to grieve alone. Our Partner/Spouse Support Group is meeting this week, offering a space to talk with others who understand. No pressure, no expectations, just a place to be real about love, sadness and everything in between. And we have NINE other groups this week to support everyone who is feeling some kind of way with this holiday. We see you.

Tips for coping on Valentine’s Day from What’s Your Grief.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

Local friends! Help support The Sun Will Rise Foundation, Inc.

We will receive a $1 donation for every $2.50 Stop & Shop reusable Community Bag sold during all of February 2025 at: Stop & Shop 316 Grove Street, Braintree MA!

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

Clay Therapy Workshop Monday February 17, 2025 2:00-4:00pm Norwell MA

One ticket has become available. Register here. Wait list also available. Questions? Please contact Judy Kelly: 781-264-0557 judyannkelly@gmail.com

SADOD’s Supporting Grieving Grands Virtual Workshop Tuesday, February 25, 2025, 6:30 - 8:00 pm ET

Substance use related deaths leave behind grieving families, including grandparents and other relatives who often take on the role of caregiver. This workshop, led by TSWR Senior Facilitator & SADOD's Peer Grief Support Specialist focusing on grieving grand), Kerry Bickford, Nancy Frumer Styron (Clinical Director of The Children’s Room), and Deb Tobin (Bereaved Mother Raising a Grandchild), will focus on supporting grieving grands and those who care for them. It’s open to grieving grands, those looking to help them, and anyone interested in this topic. Register at bit.ly/grieving-grands-workshop. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org 

Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Visit Sunday March 23, 2025 11:00 am Boston MA

Visiting together allows us to experience beauty, history and connection in a space shaped by resilience and creativity. Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. If you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days notice, the deposit is not refundable. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. For questions, please contact Cindy Kaplan at (508) 269-8428. Register Here.

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Boston Residents! If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support. Apply here.

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Meeting note: Kingston MA paused

Monday - IN-PERSON, WEYMOUTH MA 2/10/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET.

Kathy Ernest (filling in for Darlene Mersereau) facilitating.

Crossroads Church, 241 Broad Street, Weymouth, MA

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

____________________

Monday - Christian Faith Based Hope After Loss- IN-PERSON MARLBOROUGH, MA 2/10/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET.

Cheryl Juaire facilitating.

Greater Grace Christian Fellowship, 187 Pleasant St Marlborough MA.  

For anyone 18 and over of the Christian faith who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.  

_________________

Monday - MOM’S ONLY - ZOOM 2/10/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET.

Tracy Carter and Karen Swindell facilitating.

For mothers who have experienced the death of a child(ren) due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81904227569?pwd=YnSJwFTN6DFsHTYnPhfMHqUue9ZaL9.1

Meeting ID: 819 0422 7569

Passcode: 807237 or

One tap mobile 13052241968

_______________

Monday - SUICIDE RELATED DEATH- ZOOM 2/10/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET.

Don Lipstein facilitating.

For anyone 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use. Whether you know for sure that suicide was the cause of death or you are uncertain, you will find support here.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84104821860?pwd=gwiYOLLDBU5dcbDRYCjQW3bxKYQ9DK.1

Meeting ID: 841 0482 1860

Passcode: 886489 or

One tap mobile 13017158592

____________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, NATHAN’S CIRCLE, WEST BARNSTABLE, MA 2/11/25 5:30-7:00 pm ET.

Hybrid option available please request zoom link.

Kerry and Richard Bickford facilitating.

Compass Rose Center 1106 Main St West Barnstable MA

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_____________________  

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, WINTHROP, MA 2/11/25 4:30-6:00 pm ET.

JoAnn Rivieccio facilitating.

196 Winthrop Street, Winthrop, MA

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

______________

Tuesday - PARTNER & SPOUSE - ZOOM 2/11/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET.

Kar-Kate Parenteau facilitating.

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of a partner, spouse or significant other due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86578435343?pwd=avNFpCQpiLGCsKRKFEsexJj7E87gM5.1

Meeting ID: 865 7843 5343

Passcode: 287422 or

One tap mobile: 13052241968

_______________

Tuesday - MEN’S ONLY - ZOOM 2/11/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET.

Gary Carter facilitating.

For men 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Time: Feb 11, 2025 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/93073077484?pwd=pRlUQKDWvqrpjObltczKOyEGHggvqx.1

Meeting ID: 930 7307 7484

Passcode: 715924 or

One tap mobile 13092053325

_________________

Wednesday - GRIEVING MULTIPLE LOVED ONES - ZOOM 2/12/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET.

Annie Avitabile facilitating.

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of multiple loved ones due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88620038150?pwd=tPIsgXzIez3IJB2Ly7SoeSyNN8sYkm.1

Meeting ID: 886 2003 8150

Passcode: 358575 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

______________

Thursday - YOUNG PERSON (18-35) MEETING - ZOOM 2/13/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET.  

Chloe Brosnan facilitating

For anyone 18-35 who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/92570225816?pwd=b5V5xeeVB3I3O3Qu32Me4V7WfrbXPm.1

Meeting ID: 925 7022 5816

Passcode: 646974 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?

Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

To view the newsletter on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

Week of 2/2/25

Writing Through Grief

Grief sometimes feels impossible to put into words, but sometimes writing is the only thing that helps. It could be journaling, writing letters to the person who died or even just scribbling down thoughts. Putting grief on a page can be a way to process emotions we have trouble saying out loud. Your writing doesn’t have to be polished or even shared with anyone else. It doesn’t even have to make sense. It can be a safe space to express anger, sadness, love, regret or even the things we wish we had said. Sometimes, just seeing our feelings in front of us is enough to help a little, even if only for a moment.

Have you ever turned to writing in your grief? What has it meant to you? Read Bylaws & Grief by Randi Schalet. Randi facilitates our Berkeley CA group and has returned to writing after the death of her son.

Want more? Join in a two hour online writing program offered by Evermore Poet Laureate Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer for some suggestions on how to write poems that touch your grief. (This is not an activity hosted by The Sun Will Rise)

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

BOSTON RESIDENTS!

HALO INITIATIVES: FAMILY OVERDOSE SUPPORT FUND

Apply now!

If you are a BOSTON resident who has experienced the death of a family member to overdose within the last 2 years, you may be eligible for up to $5,000 in financial support to assist with the following:

·     Funeral Expenses

·     Funerals, burials, or cremation services for the person who died from overdose.

·     Behavioral Health Services

·     Therapy or support services by a licensed clinician for surviving family members.

·     Child Wellness Support

·     Childcare and enrichment costs (e.g., camps, after-school programs, extracurricular activities) for children impacted by a parent, guardian, or sibling’s fatal overdose.

·     Legal Fees

·     Custody or legal arrangements related to the death of your loved one.

ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS

·     APPLICANTS MUST BE BOSTON RESIDENTS.

·     THE OVERDOSE DEATH MUST HAVE OCCURRED WITHIN THE PAST TWO YEARS.

·     DOCUMENTATION VERIFYING FAMILIAL RELATION, BOSTON RESIDENCY, AND RELEVANT EXPENSES IS REQUIRED.

If you do not meet the eligibility requirements, you may request an Application Exception Review by writing to us at contact@haloinitiatives.org. Exceptions are not guaranteed, but you can provide a detailed explanation of any extenuating circumstances or mitigating factors impacting your eligibility and why you believe you should be considered for support from the Family Overdose Support Fund.

SADOD IS HIRING!

Job description & Application

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

1. Clay Therapy Workshop Monday February 17, 2025 2:00-4:00pm Norwell MA Event sold out. Wait list available. Questions? Please contact Judy Kelly: 781-264-0557 judyannkelly@gmail.com

2. Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum Visit Sunday March 23, 2025 11:00 am Boston MA The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is one of Boston’s most unique and celebrated museums. Isabella Stewart Gardner was a wealthy socialite who, like many of us, experienced profound loss. To cope with her grief, her doctor encouraged her to travel, a journey that ultimately led to the creation of this museum. Throughout the galleries, you’ll find several masterpieces depicting mothers and children, offering a deeply personal connection to her story. Visiting together allows us to experience beauty, history and connection in a space shaped by resilience and creativity. Cost: FREE but requires a $20 per person deposit that you will receive back at the event. If you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days notice, the deposit is not refundable. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Thanks for your understanding. For questions, please contact Cindy Kaplan at (508) 269-8428. Register Here.

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Meeting note: Falmouth Postponed

Monday - ZOOM - 2/3/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET.

Aileen Lovejoy & Deb Dowd-Foley facilitating.

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join zoom

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86930927959?pwd=i4N7hWEhAtD4HPnBKCBi9LGEF7AGbt.1

Meeting ID: 869 3092 7959 Passcode: 239207 or

One tap mobile +16469313860

___________________

Monday - IN-PERSON BERKELEY, CA 2/3/25 7:00-8:30 pm PT. 

Randi Schalet facilitating.  

Berkeley Town House/Library Room, 2550 Dana Street, Berkeley, CA. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

___________________

Wednesday - ZOOM - 2/5/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Robyn Houston-Bean facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89339848976?pwd=ayd1jLi4bBYapnBuybFIkmTE7fhDfq.1

Meeting ID: 893 3984 8976

Passcode: 135336 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

_________________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, TAUNTON, MA 2/5/25 7:00-8:00 pm ET. 

Sandra Chase facilitating.  

Learn to Cope Office, 4 Court Street, #110, Taunton, MA. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

__________________

Wednesday - IN-PERSON, PORTLAND, ME 2/5/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Karen Walsh and Rachel Solomon facilitating. 

The Family Restored, 631 Stevens Avenue, Suite 205, Portland, ME 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_________________

Thursday - GRIEVING GRANDPARENTS - ZOOM 2/6/25 5:30-6:30 pm ET. 

Kerry Bickford facilitating. 

For grandparents that have experienced the death of a family member due to substance use now navigating grief and other issues with their grandchildren. The focus of this Thursday group will be on the grandchildren.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2334755647

Meeting ID: 233 475 5647 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?

Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

To view the newsletter on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org

Week of 1/26/25

Grief and the Middle of the Night

There’s something about the quiet of the late night that makes grief feel sharper. The thoughts and feelings we manage to keep at bay during the day surface. At night our memories seem to echo a little louder and the absence of someone we miss feels a little heavier. For some people this time can feel really lonely. For others, it’s a chance to sit with emotions. Many of us find ways to navigate these hours, some healthier than others. Whether it’s journaling, texting a friend, reading, creating a new bedtime routine, scrolling on social media or like me, keeping the TV on in the background to quiet the mind, these things can help us get through and make the stillness feel less overwhelming.

If you find yourself awake in these hours, know you’re not alone. These moments might be tough but they can also be a place of quiet healing. Have you found yourself sitting with grief in the stillness of the night? How do you navigate those moments? We’d love to hear your reflections.

Listen more about Grieving at Nighttime.

And check out the Mindfulness in Grief Guide below for helpful practices you can try.

~ With care

Robyn

Robyn Houston-Bean

Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation

MINDFULNESS IN GRIEF GUIDE

A new guide published by Peer Support Community Partners. This is an introductory guide about the role that mindfulness can play in the grief journey. Mindfulness is a highly personalized practice that can take many forms. Let us know if you find this guide helpful!

UPCOMING ACTIVITIES & EVENTS

1. SADOD's Psychoeducational Workshop: Finding Meaning in Grief Tuesday, January 28, 2025 6:30 PM 8:00 PM ET We are capable of experiencing hope, healing, well-being and growth in the face of loss. It is possible to make meaning of our losses and regain energy and spontaneity. Guest speaker, Randi Schalet, is a clinical psychologist who has been providing psychotherapy for thirty years. Randi is the peer facilitator for The Sun Will Rise Group in Berkeley CA. This workshop will take place virtually on Zoom. Learn more and register at bit.ly/finding-meaning-sadod. Please note this workshop has a $10 fee for individuals outside of Massachusetts. Massachusetts residents may attend this workshop for free due to funding from MA-BSAS by using promo code MASS at the time of registration. If cost is an issue, please contact Laura@sadod.org 

2. Clay Therapy Workshop Monday February 17, 2025 2:00-4:00pm ET Norwell MA Join us for a two hour Clay Therapy workshop focused around processing grief. Clay Therapy is a form of sensorimotor, art therapy. A counselor trained in clay therapy will use person-centered counseling and art therapy principles to allow for a hands-on exploration of emotions. What comes from working with the Clay can be a powerful image that we give meaning to through group discussion. Working with clay can ground us, help us explore potential, allow space to process and bring calm to our body and mind. This is not an "art class" though art will be made. Registration Required! As with our previous events, we are requiring a deposit to hold your spot. You will receive the deposit back at the event. If you sign up and do not attend the event without giving us 10 days notice, the deposit is not refundable. We do this to be able to continue to offer events at no cost to you. Thanks for your understanding.Questions? Please contact Judy Kelly: 781-264-0557 judyannkelly@gmail.com

THIS WEEK’S MEETING INFORMATION

Monday - IN-PERSON, WEYMOUTH MA 1/27/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Darlene Mersereau facilitating. 

Crossroads Church, 241 Broad Street, Weymouth, MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

_____________________

Monday - Christian Faith Based Hope After Loss- IN-PERSON MARLBOROUGH, MA 1/27/25 6:00-7:30 pm ET. 

Cheryl Juaire facilitating.  

Greater Grace Christian Fellowship, 187 Pleasant St Marlborough, MA. 

For anyone 18 and over of the Christian faith who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.  

__________________

Monday - GRIEVING GRANDPARENTS - ZOOM  1/27/25 12:00-1:00 pm ET. 

Kerry Bickford facilitating. 

For grandparents that have experienced the death or estrangement of a grandchild due to substance use (theirs or their parents.)  The focus of this Monday  group will be on the grandparents.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/2334755647

Meeting ID: 233 475 5647 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

__________________

Monday - ZOOM 1/27/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Don Lipstein facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84716470892

Meeting ID: 847 1647 0892 or

One tap mobile 16469313860

________________

Tuesday - HYBRID - LEARNING TO COPE WITH GRIEF MEETING - IN-PERSON & ZOOM, GLOUCESTER, MA  1/28/25 7:00-8:00 pm ET. 

Colleen and Gordon Bullard facilitating.

CORE Peer Recovery and Resource Center 11 - 15 Parker Street, Gloucester, MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83349371338?pwd=RXM5RnRINGJKL21HTFhiSVYyR1NCdz09

Meeting ID: 833 4937 1338

Passcode: 560270

_______________

Tuesday - IN-PERSON, BRIDGEWATER, MA 1/28/25 6:30-8:00 pm ET. 

Judy Kelly facilitating.

Trinity Episcopal Church 91 Main St Bridgewater MA 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

______________

Tuesday - MEN'S ONLY - ZOOM 1/28/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Dave Swindell and Gary Carter facilitating.

For men 18 and over who have experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/96961980647?pwd=cFVTMHR3VE9COGc3UGdIZHo4TWVaZz09#success

Meeting ID: 969 6198 0647

Password: 300626 or

One tap mobile 16465588656

_______________

Tuesday - PARTNER & SPOUSE - ZOOM 1/28/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Kar-Kate Parenteau facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of a partner, spouse or significant other due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86578435343?pwd=avNFpCQpiLGCsKRKFEsexJj7E87gM5.1

Meeting ID: 865 7843 5343

Passcode: 287422 or

One tap mobile: 13052241968

________________

Thursday- ZOOM 1/30/25 7:00-8:30 pm ET. 

Janice Kaplan facilitating. 

For anyone 18 and over who has experienced the death of someone they care about due to substance use.

Join Zoom Meeting

https://zoom.us/j/97723147956?pwd=9D923G6QSFBW9Xll4jo5jtNLw7rpZa.1

Meeting ID: 977 2314 7956

Passcode: 074951 or

One tap mobile 13017158592

Do you know someone bereaved due to substance use related causes that would appreciate our weekly email?

Have them sign up here for support!

Join our private Facebook page.

To view the newsletter on our website, please enter the password: grief

“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean

thesunwillrise.org