Any Westchester County resident grieving the death of a loved one can walk into Hospice of Westchester and receive up to 13 months of free counseling, no questions asked about where or how their family member died. A $10,000 check from the NYS Tribute Foundation, presented Saturday, July 12, will help keep it that way.
Hospice of Westchester announced that the gift will support the agency's Anna & Louis H. Shereff Bereavement Program. The program provides 13 months of bereavement care to families of hospice patients and is also open to any community member in the county, regardless of whether their loved one was a Hospice of Westchester patient. That includes residents of Bronxville, Scarsdale, and Eastchester.
"This donation will allow us to continue to provide quality and compassionate bereavement programs and services to the families of those in our care, as well as community members throughout Westchester County," said Mary K. Spengler, CEO of Hospice of Westchester.
The bereavement program runs primarily on contributions and grants, according to the organization's website. Without outside funding, the free services could not continue at their current level.
Spengler, Board Chairman William F. Flooks Jr., Director of Development Holly K. Benedict, and NYS Tribute Foundation Board Member Sabrina Joynes were present at the donation presentation.
All services are free and facilitated by licensed professionals with experience in grief counseling:
- Support groups — loss-specific groups that repeat every few months; an assessment is required to participate
- Individual counseling — available to hospice families and community members after an initial assessment
- Prolonged grief therapy — a 16-week program for people whose grief is preventing them from moving forward in daily life
- Workshops and events — including a Coping with the Holidays session and an annual Memorial Butterfly Release ceremony each spring
The NYS Tribute Foundation, a 501(c)(3) established in 2003, unites funeral service professionals across New York State. It is affiliated with the New York State Funeral Directors Association, which serves roughly 900 members and more than 3,000 funeral directors statewide.
Hospice of Westchester is located at 1025 Westchester Ave., Suite 200, White Plains. Residents interested in bereavement services can call (914) 682-1484 or visit hospiceofwestchester.com. No specific upcoming program dates have been announced; the organization encourages anyone experiencing grief to call for an assessment.
