The athlete. The class president. The math whiz. The kid whose mom died. Jennifer Cruz was that kid. “I was 12 when my mom died in May of 2007; I stayed home for a week. Then I went back to seventh grade and no services were ever offered,” Jen recalls. “I was from a tiny… Read more »
Camp Erin
Teens Helping Teens Move Through Grief
Camp Erin-King County hosts a weekend session each summer that is just for teenagers. On the last night of camp, teens participate in a special grief activity with each other around the pool. All campers gather on blankets with luminaries they’ve each made by hand that picture their relationship with their lost loved ones. These… Read more »
A Summer of Gratitude: How Many Ways Can We Say Thank You?
Annual Golf Tournament for Gold+ Corporate Sponsors On a sunny Friday in late May, teams from our corporate sponsor organizations gathered for a day of fun at the The Golf Club at Newcastle. Safe Crossings Foundation (SCF) held the tournament to thank our most generous corporate sponsors. Without their support and dedication to grieving children,… Read more »
Grief is a Journey Best Taken With Others
Twins Damien and Ty were five years old when their dad died in 2009. The sudden loss of their father left the boys confused and worried. Their mom, Eva, knew the boys needed support. She found Camp Erin®- King County. “I had no idea how incredible camp would end up being and what it would… Read more »
A Story of Hope
Is it possible for a child to find peace after his mom dies? The answer to this question is yes. Take 22-year-old Kevin McConnell, who lost his beloved mother Kathryn after a long battle with cancer nearly six years ago. Meeting Kevin today, you cannot help but be drawn to him and the sense of peace… Read more »
Better Together // Video
BETTER TOGETHER Safe Crossings Foundation, in partnership with some fantastic organizations and generous donors, is honored to help such families as the Mohans and Pareja-Ortegas, who share their stories of loss and love in the following video, created for our 2016 Annual Luncheon. Safe Crossings | Better Together from Safe Crossings Foundation on Vimeo. Special… Read more »
Happy Campers in 2016
This summer Camp Erin King County hosted two totally full camps! Sixty kids and sixty teens received the gift of support and fun with other youth who’ve experienced similar loss. Your donation dollars did that. Camp Erin staff and volunteers shepherd kids through grief support activities to honor and help process their loss. They also emphasize… Read more »
Crossing to College
Camper Brittany Frisk Gets College Assistance from Donor Families There’s no doubt about it. Brittany Frisk’s dad would be awfully proud of her. This fall, nearly 18 years after his death, she packed up her hopes, dreams—and her sunscreen—and headed off to Northern Arizona University to begin her studies in chemistry with a concentration in… Read more »
The Story of Jayza & D’Juna
Recently Safe Crossings Foundation sat down with D’Juna Duhon and her 16-year-old daughter, Jayza. Jayza’s beloved grandfather died in June, 2009. After much resistance, Jayza accepted help from the Safe Crossings Program and attended Camp Erin. Jayza: My grandfather passed a couple days after his birthday and five days after Fathers Day. He lived with… Read more »
Ian Williams-Buckmaster’s Grief & Healing Story
Ian Williams-Buckmaster, endured parental struggles with addiction and multiple relocations. Ultimately, both his mom and dad died young. Low self-esteem and defiance characterized a youngster who faced grown-up decisions when most kids were playing Xbox. His anger, fear, and loneliness accompanied feelings of pain and grief. Camp Erin turned Ian’s life around. Held each summer in… Read more »