Wilkes-Barre,PA (January 14, 2020) – Hospice of the Sacred Heart, which provides comfort,care, hope and choice to patients and their families while guiding them through the end of life journey, announced today that it was awarded a $20,000 Community Impact Grant from New York Life.
The grant will support Camp Healing Hearts 2020, a five-day camp experience (August 10 through 14,2020) to provide grief education to children ages 8-14 who have experienced the death of a loved one. Children work with trained bereavement counselors and members of our arts community to help them progress towards acceptance of the loss and use the arts as a means of self-expression.
“We are grateful for New York Life’s investment in Camp Healing Hearts, which will change many lives for the better,” said Diane Baldi, CEO, Hospice of the Sacred Heart. “Without the support from New York Life, we wouldn’t be able to offer this five-day camp, which begins and ends with the same activities every day to provide a sense of routine, consistency and ultimately closure for the entire process.Younger campers are “buddy-ed” up with older campers to facilitate teamwork and understanding. Each session utilizes a different theme explored through the arts. In addition to delivering outstanding hospice care, this is one of the most impactful and sacred programs we offer.”
Community volunteers lend their time and talents to campers with artistic projects culminating in a Memorial Service designed and presented by the campers at the camp’s completion. This performance and exhibit will be held at the Scranton Cultural Center Friday, August 14th at 3:30 PM.
“I’m proud to work for a company that encourages its agents and employees to devote their time, energy and talents to support the needs and priorities of their local community,” said Emilie A. Deery, Financial Services Professional at New York Life’s Scranton Office. “We are pleased that our partnership will have along-lasting impact on Hospice of the Sacred Heart and the population they serve.”
The Community Impact Grant program awards grants up to $25,000 to local nonprofit organizations, which are championed by New York Life agents and employees.Since the program’s inception in 2008, nearly 600 grants totaling more than $7 million have been awarded to nonprofits across the country.
Photo caption: Front row l to r: Courtney Semplice, Managing Partner, New York Life Scranton Office, Diane Baldi, CEO, Hospice of the Sacred Heart, back row l tor: Christopher deVilleneuve, Director of Development, New York Life Scranton Office, Emilie Deery, Financial Services Professional, New York Life Scranton Office, Dana McCue, Administrator, Volunteer Co-coordinator, New York Life Scranton Office and Jennifer Seechock, Director of Counseling Services, Hospice of the Sacred Heart
