Good Grief Partnership

Helping families cope with loss the sweetest way we know how.

2020 was the hardest year ever. We had to learn to navigate Covid-19 in every aspect of our lives, and with that came major sacrifices, learning, and of course, grief. 

This year, when I started thinking about love & Valentine’s Day, it made me sad. After the year we’ve had, watching the news night after night, I couldn’t help but also think about loss, longing, and sadness. Of course we will still celebrate love. But in order to do that in the most authentic way, in a way that felt right, we set out to help people deal with the pain of lost love.  

I turned to my favorite resource, Instagram, and posted a story asking my followers (who are so helpful and amazing) if they knew any charities that support people dealing with grief. I was surprised to find hardly any responses – it was like radio silence, which never happens! A few days later, a wonderful mom friend of mine, Allison, texted me. She asked if I’d ever heard of Good Grief, an organization that works to educate and support children who are dealing with the grief & loss of family members. I started doing some research and I could tell right away that this was my answer.

Based in New Jersey, Good Grief is 100% free and teaches resilience and healthy coping skills to children & families affected by the loss of a loved one. They provide peer support services to individuals, grief training for educators, community members & corporations, and host a summer camp that encourages healing through the arts.

For every February Fix 25-Pack sold, we’re donating $1 to Good Grief to help fund their peer support programs for children, teens, young adults & families coping with loss.

One of the things I admire most about Good Grief is their school programs. They provide training for teachers, parents and students about how to support kids dealing with grief and adversity in the classroom, where they spend so much of their time.

A note from their website that really struck a chord: “1 in 7 children experience the death of a parent or sibling and 90% experience the death of someone important in their life by the age of 25. Educators across the country report being ill-equipped to navigate these difficult moments with their students.”

We encourage you to check out goodgriefschools.org to learn more about their amazing work. 

This Valentine’s day, I ask you to think about the people in your life that you love most. Reach out to them. Check in. Tell them that you love them. If you’re anything like me, you’ll send them cupcakes, and by doing so, you’ll also be supporting Good Grief and the many people that have lost someone they love dearly.

We could ALL use some love. Not just the Valentine’s Day kind of love, but LOVE. Plain and simple. People caring about people. Good Grief is the perfect example of that, and we couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity to support them this February.

Did you make this recipe? We want to know! Tag us in your baking creations on instagram @bakedbymelissa!