New Song participants turned white heart-shaped pillows into colorful canvases to help express their feelings. Photo courtesy of New Song Center for Grieving Children

The New Song Center for Grieving Children, a non-profit program of Hospice of the Valley, offers grief support for families who have recently lost a loved one. The organization provides an outlet for children, teens and young adults to cope with grief through sharing stories, art, music, dance and recreation.

Lilly Gardner, 12, of Gilbert, who experienced the sudden loss of her father in 2011, has found that New Song is helpful because she knows she’s “in a safe place with people who can relate to me.” New Song gave her family the tools to openly discuss their grief and address feelings about their loss.

The organization is opening a new location in Avondale, and is growing its services in Gilbert.

The new Avondale center is located at First Southern Baptist Church, 1001 N. Central Ave. It is opening with a free grief support program called “Enduring Ties,” which includes interactive sessions with children, youth and adults participating in joint and separate activities. The program begins with orientation from 9 to 11am on Saturday, Sept. 29 and continues from 6 to 8pm every Tuesday from Oct. 2 through Nov. 13. Register by Sept. 25.

The Gilbert center, which opened in January, is located at Rancho Solano Private Schools, 1305 S. Gilbert Rd. Two free family support groups start up this month.

The New Song Center, which also has locations in Scottsdale and Phoenix, is in need of volunteers to lead support groups under the guidance of professional staff. Bilingual volunteers are especially needed at the new Avondale location. The next training series begins Saturday, Sept. 8 at 8:30 a.m. at Hospice of the Valley’s administrative office, 1510 E. Flower St. in Phoenix. The classes continue in the evening on Sept. 10, 12 and 13, followed by another all-day session on Sept. 15. A one-year commitment is requested. Call by Aug. 29 to register.

For more information about any of these programs or about Hospice of the Valley, call 480-951-8985 or visit hov.org

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