April Newsletter * Tu Nidito

Dear Friends of the Nest,

The saying goes, April showers bring May flowers and we are certainly experiencing that in our beautiful desert with the bloom of wildflowers and the last of the school year for most of our participants. At this time of year, we find that many families feel ready to move on from Tu Nidito as they have gained many of the tools and skills they need to integrate their grief into their daily lives. We know that grief has no end and that there will always be ebbs and flows for everyone yet through time spent at Tu Nidito our participants realize they are not alone, and they do have hope for the future.

We have developed a special launch toolkit for families that provides them with some tools and resources to move forward in their journey away from Tu Nidito. The launching ceremony is heartfelt and beautiful and gives our participants closure from Tu Nidito and honors their continued journey.

As we look forward to our Remarkable Celebration honoring another group of amazing Moms, Mimi Coomler, Cindy and Anne Jordan, Wendy Kurtin, Marsha Moon, Melissa Ritchey, and Yvette Rodriguez, we want to thank our incredible sponsors for their support of our signature event which raises 25% of the funds needed to provide direct support to those grieving a serious medical condition or death. A special thanks to Pima Medical Institute and TMC Healthcare for leading the way as our presenting sponsors.

If you would like to join the celebration on Saturday, May 11 at 6pm at Tucson Convention Center we have tickets available or if you can’t join us in person please participate in our silent auction which will be live on May 4th. We have some amazing experiences for you to bid on like a romantic staycation at the Ritz Carlton Dove Mountain or a day of beauty from our friends at Skin Spectrum.

I also want to lift up our amazing volunteers this month as we celebrate and appreciate them throughout the month of April. We couldn’t provide our critical programs without their gifts of time and talent. We are so fortunate to have all 150 volunteers in the Tu Nidito family.

With Gratitude.

Liz McCusker,

Executive Director

BOARD MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

Jenna Elmer

Tu Nidito is extremely fortunate to have Jenna Elmer serve on our Board of Directors. Jenna came to the Tu Nidito board in 2015 and served 6 years and returned to the Board in 2023. Jenna’s field of expertise is Human Resources and because Tu Nidito is a small organization with resources devoted to our programs, we look to the Board for their expertise to support our work. Liz McCusker, our Executive Director shared, “Jenna’s service to our organization is invaluable. She is a great thought partner and has a deep commitment to our mission to create a compassionate grief informed community of acceptance and understanding for those grieving a serious medical condition or death."

In her original Board application, Jenna shared “I feel that this Board of Directors position presents an opportunity for me to really get involved in something bigger that myself and my own little nest.” She concluded with, “I feel drawn to this organization and called to this position.” We are grateful that Jenna continues to be drawn to Tu Nidito.

Jenna not only brings her HR expertise to the Board she also shares our joy and sense of wonder as you can see in this picture of her performing at our 2023 Dueling Pianos event!

Save the date for Dueling Pianos 2024 on Friday September 6th as we return to Site 17. Details are forthcoming.

Happening at The Nest this Month...

Big emotions can be difficult for anyone, especially kids experiencing serious illness or death in their lives. These emotions can generate big questions about why this happened to them. Littles may not be able to express themselves with words, so this month with the help of Sesame Street and the video When Kids Need a Special-Special Comfort, they will work to identify a special item that makes them feel safe when they are sad and afraid. They will draw a picture of their item and share with the group.

Middles and Teens will explore their complicated questions by anonymously submitting a question about death. Each person in the group will have a chance to answer someone else’s question in their own words. There are no right or wrong answers. They will be encouraged to open up about what scares or troubles them most when thinking about the death of their special person.

Music can be a healing tool used for dealing with and expressing grief. Later in April, the Littles and Middles will work as a group to create a song about their special people that will be set to music by our friend Bruce. Teens will have the opportunity to create a playlist of songs that help them along their grief journey. This can include songs that remind them of their special person or songs that inspire them through their grief. Together they will also create a collaborative playlist with the group and share some of their favorites.

Kristin Harrison, Program Director Assistant, adds: “The special comfort item and Questions in a Can activities will help them process their grief and get support from others as they tackle hard questions about death. The special music nights will allow them to create a song based on their feelings and continue bonds with those special people who have died.”

TU NIDITO CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES RECEIVES A $25,000 COMMUNITY IMPACT GRANT FROM NEW YORK LIFE

Tu Nidito Children and Family Services, a nonprofit that aims to create a community of acceptance and understanding for those grieving a serious medical condition or death, announced today that they received a $25,000 Community Impact Grant from New York Life. The grant will support a pilot program in partnership with Our Family Services, another local nonprofit focused on tackling homelessness, aimed at addressing unresolved grief among youth in the homeless community.

The pilot will provide peer grief support groups for youth ages 12-17 experiencing homelessness. It is a collaboration between Tu Nidito Children and Family Services and Our Family Services. The pilot will offer five cohorts. Sessions will move youth through grief activities designed to address traumatic death loss. Participation is intended to lower feelings of anger and increase feelings of resiliency leading to improved mental health.

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Fun Ways to Support Tu Nidito