Thanks to the incredible support and compassion of our donors, The BeliEve Foundation has proudly gifted over $1 million in financial assistance to families grieving the devastating loss of a child.
This milestone means so much more than just a number. It represents all the love, comfort, and hope given to over 450 families since we began this journey in 2019. It means we have touched the lives of so many precious souls, helping them navigate the financial burdens that come with grief.
We believe that financial burdens related to child loss should never prevent a family from being able to properly grieve. We seek to lighten these additional burdens so they can focus on what is most important. Whether it is assistance with funeral expenses, medical bills, grief therapy, memorials, or rent/mortgage assistance so they can remain housing stable, we are here to meet these families’ needs.
Latoya, an ambassador of our 2023 Become a BeliEve campaign, shared her story about grieving the loss of her son Lamar and the impact of our support during such a difficult time. “The BeliEve Foundation helped me with many things, including rent. I didn’t know how I was going to do it all, I thought I was going to have to move out. I don’t think I could do this without The BeliEve Foundation. It made me stronger to know I wasn’t in this by myself.”
According to a 2021 report by the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost of a funeral in the U.S. is $7,848.00. No parent is prepared to say goodbye to their child, let alone face expensive funeral, cremation, or burial expenses. Every family deserves to honor and remember their child the way they choose. Cher, Jaylyn’s Mom recently shared with us the difference our financial support, in partnership with our amazing friends at Murphy Granite, made in planning for her daughter’s headstone. “Thank you to The BeliEve Foundation and Murphy Granite. Without your support and kindness, I’m not sure how we would have navigated this path of planning Jaylynn’s memorial.”
After the devastating stillbirth of their son Mylan, we were connected with the Bergey family who shared that the financial burden following his stillbirth felt unfair and overwhelming. “When The BeliEve Foundation was able to help us with some of the cost, it felt like we had a little less salt in our wounds. Over a year later they have continued to follow up and offer support, another comforting measure.”
Another beautiful couple we were honored to support is Jillian and Luke. “We are so touched by your generosity. Thank you for supporting us in covering our medical bills after the loss of our baby, Giuseppe. We are forever grateful.”
The greatest gift we can give families is to make sure they have access to therapy and group support to help them move forward. We are grateful for our many trusted partners who provide important opportunities for healing and connection. Parents are rarely the only ones affected by great loss. Siblings also feel the loss of their brothers or sisters and need help understanding and processing their feelings. Katie, Elling’s Mom, came to us when Elling’s sister was struggling to cope and communicate her emotions surrounding the loss of her brother. “Keeva is going to her very last therapy session today! She seems like a happier girl than she was when I first reached out to The BeliEve Foundation. We are so thankful for the support that you have given our family. It has helped us heal in so many ways.”
To all the families we have supported and will continue to support, you are the reason why we do what we do. Your strength and resilience inspire us every single day. We are committed to being there for you on this difficult journey- offering financial assistance, ongoing support, and a caring community to lean on. To all of our BeliEvers, none of this would be possible without your generosity, dedication, support, and unwavering belief in the importance of our mission. While we celebrate this milestone, we also recognize that our work is far from over. Countless families still need our help, and we won’t rest until we can support every grieving family in need. Together we can make a difference!
