Bereavement Resources

Bereavement support groups allow those who have lost a loved one to share their feelings with others who have also experienced a loss. These are free, open to the public, and take place in a variety of locations.

Contact your local UPMC hospice provider for information specific to your community. 

Note: support groups operated by UPMC will be identified as such; other support groups are operated by third parties.

Held annually in Venango County, this one-day annual camp for children, ages 6 -17, includes grief workshops, crafts, rock wall climbing, and ziplining. The camp concludes with a memorial service at day’s end.

To learn more and apply, call 814-432-6555.

Camp Good Grief is made possible by support from the Venango VNA Foundation. 

Family Hospice, part of UPMC, invites grieving persons to participate in Growing Through Grief, a six-week educational and support program facilitated by Family Hospice bereavement counselors. We create a safe and supportive environment for the group to explore the impact of loss and how to cope with grief in a healthy manner. 

The program is free and open to adults ages 18 and older. Growing Through Grief is best suited for those in the first year of their grief journey, but others are welcome. 

Sessions are offered throughout the year in several locations. Registration is required. 

Information and registration for Growing Through Grief
Pittsburgh: 412-572-8829
Altoona: 814-947-7060

The Healing Patch is a free program for grieving children and their families who have lost a loved one to death. Services are provided through peer support sessions for families at centers in Blair and Cambria Counties. In-school groups can support children who are not able to attend a center.

Additionally, the Healing Patch maintains a comprehensive lending library of resources related to dying, death, and grief for people of all ages. Healing Patch services are offered at no cost.

Learn more about Healing Patch Children's Grief Program, or call 1-800-445-6262. 

Heartworks is a family-based support program for grieving children, teens, and their families in our north central Pennsylvania region that offers support for preschool, elementary, middle school, and high school-age children, as well as parent(s)/caregiver(s) of enrolled children/teens.

The program is designed to help families explore and express their feelings in a safe, supportive environment. Heartworks' specially trained facilitators help children and teens learn ways to cope with loss through art, play, journaling, music, and other modes of expression.

The program is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, call 570-320-7691.

This one-day program for grieving children, ages 9 – 17, takes place annually in Franklin, Pa. The camp is a therapeutic, fun experience in which campers can learn to grow through their losses. 

For more information, call 814-432-6555. 

Horses for Healing is made possible by support from the Venango VNA Foundation.