When people come to a grief support group or one of our events for the first time, they're often carrying more pain than hope. Some are struggling to get through the day. Some are asking questions that have no answers. Some cannot imagine ever feeling anything other than the heartbreak they are carrying right now. I remember those days. What I've learned over the years is that hope doesn't always start from within. Sometimes we borrow it from someone who has survived what we are living through. Someone who understands the sleepless nights, the guilt, the anger, the loneliness and the longing. Someone who can honestly say, "I didn't think I would make it either." There have been times in my own grief journey when I couldn't see beyond the pain. During those times, I borrowed hope from others who had walked this road before me. I listened to their stories. I watched them laugh. I watched them remember their people without falling apart. I watched them build meaningful lives while continuing to carry their grief. They helped me believe something I couldn't yet believe for myself.
One of the gifts of peer support is that hope quietly passes from one person to another. Sometimes we receive it. Sometimes we offer it. Often without even realizing it. If you're struggling to find hope right now, maybe you don't need to find your own today. Maybe it's enough to borrow a little from someone else.
~ Robyn
Robyn Houston-Bean
Founder, The Sun Will Rise Foundation
*** SOME SPOTS HAVE OPENED FOR PARENTS AUGUST GRIEF RETREAT-SEE BELOW****
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Please check the calendar before you drive to an in-person group…last-minute changes can happen. If it is not listed on the monthly calendar, it is cancelled for that date.
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MEETING CHANGES THIS WEEK
MULTIPLE LOSS GROUP meeting this week (6/17/26) this month only.
Judy Kelly faciliting for Darlene Mersereau at the WEYMOUTH GROUP this week.
PARENT GROUP on Sunday 6/21/26 meeting for one hour only this week.
HELP SUPPORT THE SUN WILL RISE!
ENTER TO WIN TWO ARIANA GRANDE TICKETS
One lucky winner will receive two Ariana Grande tickets for the concert at TD Garden in Boston on Wednesday 7/22/26 at 8:00 pm!
Ticket sales close 7/10/26. Your odds are great with this raffle! Thank you so much for your support that helps keep all our offerings at no cost to you!
HERE’S SOME OF WHAT HAPPENED RECENTLY AT TSWR
From Natalie: It was a lovely morning to hike and call out our peoples’ names. Amazing how grief unites us like nothing else does. Rest assured it was not all sadness and mourning. Lighthearted moments and even laughter together prevailed. Calling out our persons' names is always a beautiful release. Up high, amidst the Great Blue HIll and under the boundless sky the names echoed wistfully..."Jon (Jonathan)!" and "Jay!" and "Avant (George)!" and "Tony!" and "Nelson Nelson (2 times for the twin)!"
This month the South Shore Recovery Alliance hosted Jill Shanahan to talk about SADOD’s Direct Service Provider Program! Some of you know Jill from facilitating our LGBTQ + grief group or our closed grief group for the residents at Two Rivers Recovery Center for Women in Greenfield MA.
UPCOMING TSWR & SADOD ACTIVITIES & EVENTS
Special Father’s Day Zoom Sunday June 21, 2026 7:00-8:00 pm ET For anyone who would like some extra support for this holiday. Read: Thoughts on Father’s Day by bereaved dad David Swindell. Read: The Bereaved’s Guide to Surviving Mother’s/Father’s Day (and Other Terrible Occasions)
SADOD’s June Psychoeducational Virtual Workshop: Grief Theories and Grief Misconceptions June 23, 2026 6:30-8:00 pm ET This workshop will provide a brief overview of some helpful grief theories while dispelling some common misconceptions, with the goal of providing a safe space for individuals to ask questions and learn more about this process. Learn more and REGISTER HERE. 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. Non-MA residents, if cost is an issue, use promo code SCHOLARSHIP to register for free.
Cape Cod Canal Cruise Sunday July 12, 2026 6:30-8:30 pm Onset MA Join us on a two-hour trip cruising two-thirds of the length of the Cape Cod Canal to the Herring Run and back. This Hy-Line Cruise features live commentary about the fascinating history and points of interest along the canal. All ages welcome. Bring your friends & family! We chartered the whole boat! 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. Please don’t let the deposit be a barrier, if cost is an issue, just let us know. We’re committed to making this event accessible to everyone. If you have any accessibility needs (physical or otherwise), please reach out. We want to ensure everyone feels welcome and supported. Questions? Contact Judy Kelly. judyannkelly@gmail.com 781-264-0557 REGISTER HERE!
New event! Pick Your Own Flowers Sunday August 9, 2026 2:00-4:00 pm. Cross St Farm Norwell MA Our group will have the farm fields to ourselves as we gather together to admire the blooms spread throughout the seven acre flower farm. Walk the rows at your own pace, choose your stems, and bring home a hand-cut bouquet straight from the field. We will have the opportunity to cut 20 stems of beautiful summer blooms to bring home. Zinnias, lisianthus, cosmos, snapdragons, celosia, sunflowers, pincushion, globe amaranth, grasses are among the possible varieties that may be bursting! 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. Please don’t let the deposit be a barrier, if cost is an issue, just let us know. We’re committed to making this event accessible to everyone. If you have any accessibility needs (physical or otherwise), please reach out. We want to ensure everyone feels welcome and supported. The ground is uneven so may not be easy to navigate for those with mobility difficulties. Questions about the event? Please email judy kelly judyannkelly@gmail.com 781-264-0557 REGISTER HERE!
Renew, Refresh, Reset Grief Retreat for Bereaved Parents Date: August 14-16, 2026 Registration form reopened! We have gone through the waitlist. Space now available. If you would like to room with another bereaved parent, please complete the form. We can match you with another person. No single roooms available. Questions about the retreat? Contact Cheryl Juaire Cherju4339@aol.com Sign up here.
June 26-28, 2026 SOLD OUT. June attendees watch for an email coming soon with details about the retreat.
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.
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“Please be happy. The sun will rise” ~Nick Bean