Harper's Hope Foundation
I'm building this for Harper, so no family has to walk through grief alone.
No family should find their way through grief alone.
Harper's Hope Foundation is my promise to Harper. After losing her, I saw how little help families get once the funeral is over, especially kids and siblings. I also know how hard years of cancer treatment are on a whole family. We lived it.
So I'm building the help I wish we'd had. Everything the Foundation offers will be free: for children, siblings, parents and adults after loss, including suicide loss. It will also help families facing childhood cancer. It starts here in Twin Falls and online. One day, I hope we'll have a home of our own in Twin Falls.
Why it matters
- Most schools have no plan to support grieving children.
- Grieving kids who get support do better in school, in friendships and in their health.
- Rural Idaho families often drive hours for any grief group. Online groups reach them at home.
- Every group is free, so cost is never the reason a family goes without help.
What I want the Foundation to do
This is my dream list. There is still so much left to do to help grieving families. This is where we start. All of it will be free.
For grieving families
A home for the Ugly Cry Club
Our groups are already free. Next, I want a place of our own in Twin Falls and groups for anyone working through grief: grandparents, friends, cousins, you name it. There's room for everyone. Find a group
Free virtual groups
Free Zoom groups so families anywhere in Idaho, even hours from town, can join from home.
Free worksheets for every group
Our groups are different. We don't just talk. We work through the hard parts together and find healing as we help each other. Through the Foundation, we hope to get every member the worksheets for free.
Free coaching for those who can't afford it
One-on-one coaching for anyone who needs it but can't pay. Cost should never be the reason someone goes without help.
Comfort bags
Gentle care bags for newly grieving families, with a workbook, a journal, tissues and something for the kids. Shared through hospice, funeral homes and hospitals.
Suicide-loss support
A gentle, safe space for families after a suicide loss.
For kids and cancer families
Groups for siblings and kids
Groups for brothers, sisters and little ones who are grieving too.
Kids and sibling grief camp
A free summer day camp where grieving kids can play, remember and meet other kids who get it.
Help for families facing childhood cancer
Gas cards, meals and care bags for families making the long drive for treatment. We spent three years in treatment with Harper. I know what it costs a family.
For schools and our community
Free speaking events
Free talks for schools, churches and community groups on grief, showing up for others and suicide prevention. See the talks
School grief kits
Free kits for schools: books for the classroom, my guide for supporting a grieving student and a simple plan for teachers.
Training new group leaders
I'll train other moms to lead Ugly Cry Club groups in their own towns, so help is close to home all across Idaho.
Holiday support
A remembrance night each December, with ornaments for families facing their first holidays without their person.
A yearly remembrance night
A candle-lighting each fall around Harper's day, where we say our loved ones' names together.
In Harper's name
The #55 Fight Like Harper scholarship
Every year, a scholarship for a student-athlete who has lost someone they love. 55 was Harper's number.
We're already gathering.
bereaved moms have joined our in-person circle in Twin Falls
in-person groups: The Ugly Cry Club for moms and for siblings
virtual groups open so families anywhere can join
The Ugly Cry Club provides a safe space where grieving moms can be vulnerable and share honest thoughts and feelings. It has allowed me to connect with other moms that are going through the loss of a child, something that one would not truly understand unless they had gone through it also.
Grief made me feel so alone, even in a room full of people who loved me. The Ugly Cry Club gave me a place where I don’t have to explain or pretend. Every mom there knows this pain. We share our stories and our kids’ names. We share the ugly cries too. I leave every time feeling a little lighter and a lot less alone. If you’re a grieving mom wondering if you belong here, you do.
In a world that keeps telling us to move on, this group of amazing heartbroken Mommas lets us stay — holding space for our beautiful children we will never ever stop loving and for each other!! We are a sisterhood born from the deepest heartbreak, lifting each other up when not everyone in our lives can understand. We are a club that no one ever wants to join, but I am endlessly grateful for the beautiful souls who walk this unintended path beside me, honoring the memories of our children together, keeping their stories and love alive forever! To me this group is priceless!! Love you Mommas!
Your gift keeps Harper's love going.
Opens the week of Nov 9Every dollar stays in the Magic Valley and helps a grieving family feel less alone. Pick an amount to see what it does. We start accepting donations the week of November 9. Leave your email and I'll send you the link that day.
$55 fills a comfort bag for a newly grieving family.
Where would you like your gift to go?
Harper's Hope Foundation, Inc. · EIN 43-2684779 · a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Gifts are tax-deductible as allowed by law.
Partner
Hospices, funeral homes, schools, churches and hospitals can host a group or refer families.
Volunteer
Pack comfort bags, help at camp or join us for remembrance nights.
Spread the word
Share our groups with a family who needs them.
Our board
Supporting a grieving student.
A free 2-page guide for teachers, coaches and school staff: what grief can look like by age, what to say, how to plan their return and how to help in the weeks ahead.
Your email is optional. If you'd like, join my gentle newsletter and the download appears right here. Unsubscribe anytime.
Be part of it from the start.
Leave your email and I'll let you know when giving opens the week of November 9, when new groups start and how you can help.
Harper's Hope Foundation is separate from Harper's Hope Store. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
Learn how to show up for grief.
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