A Message from Brigid:

Hello Wonderful Tu Nidito Volunteers!

I am so happy to be writing this letter to you all. I have been at Tu Nidito for nine years now, but started long before that as a volunteer. When I discovered Tu Nidito, I knew I had found my calling. I'm sure that's how many of you feel as well, that you have found a place that adds a deep sense of meaning to your lives. It feels important that we can share in that connection together. In my life I have experienced important changes and those changes have brought about important opportunities for growth. My new role as Director of Program Impact will bring more of those opportunities and that excites me. I feel ready, especially as Tu Nidito embarks on a new chapter of growing through grief. I am so happy to continue to grow alongside all of you.

Thank you for who you are and what you do.  

Warmly,

Brigid Frasquillo

Director of Program Impact

A Message from Lynda:

It has been delightful to meet our Volunteers, though it is taking me longer than I had anticipated to get around to all of you!

I continue to be amazed by the dedication and compassion our volunteers display every time they show up to group. I am also inspired by the way so many volunteers go above and beyond, either participating in multiple groups or by agreeing to substitute in groups that are short-handed.

Our volunteer training in January introduced new and enthusiastic volunteers, who are now all placed in groups. You should be seeing them in your groups soon.

We are revving up for our Abba-themed Remarkable Celebration on May 13, fittingly titled “Mamma Mia.” This year we are excited to honor our volunteer Sylvia Quigley as a 2023 Remarkable Mom. Sylvia and her son Chris attended Tu Nidito after her husband’s death. She wanted to provide other families with the support she and Chris received. She began volunteering as an adult facilitator and has continued with us for over a decade.

We are looking for fun-loving volunteers for The Remarkable Celebration to help with the Silent Auction, greeting our celebrants, welcoming guests, and other important tasks to make this fundraiser a success. Please let me know if you would like to rock your Abba spirit and help us with this annual event! 

Thank you for the warm welcome. I look forward to meeting you all!

Sincerely,

Lynda Stites

Coordinator of Volunteer Services

Shout Outs

For Adding an Extra Group Night

Maddi Smith

Ben Gerber

Rachel Davenport

For the Most Hours Given in 2022 

117 Hours Each!

Lew Hamburger

Sophia Dunne

For Taking on the Task of Re-Organizing the Tu Nidito Lending Library

Maria Schuchardt 

For Offering an Introductory Experience to Meditation

(this will happen next weekend)

Marianna Maddocks

The Spotlight

Mary Wallace "Arms Wide Open" 

Have you ever felt someone’s energy through a phone call? It is rare for me, but when I spoke with our Tu Nidito volunteer, Mary Wallace, I felt her energy - and her warmth, compassion and sense of humor.  Mary came to Tucson after having lived 30 years in Los Angeles as a television reporter, producer, director and writer. 

Her work took her on travels around the country, meeting real life people and sharing their stories through segments and series on HBO, NBC and PBS.  She loved her work and shared “I had fun almost every day.”

Mary came to grief work after having her best friend die from breast cancer. Although she had experienced grief before, the death of this friend moved her to explore grief support groups in her area. She landed at one in at Glendale Adventist hospital. During her 8 months with the group she grew into the role of facilitator.  She found grief work extremely fulfilling and helped to start a group for adults grieving a death by suicide. 

Fast forward to Mary’s retirement to Tucson. She found Tu Nidito after exploring volunteer opportunities to work with those grieving. She shared, “while at Tu Nidito’s one night, I spotted someone who was so familiar to me and I asked if she had attended a grief support group at Adventist Hospital in Glendale?” 

 She had! This person was Tu Nidito’s Support Specialist (now Bereavement Programs Manager) Serena Sahajian.  Mary was so happy to see Serena and shared that it gave her the strength to go forward through the world with her arms wide open. 

Mary values Tu Nidito’s grief support programs because they are experiential and not just rhetoric. She found her heart with the Middles and shared, “I love the Middles because they are ages 8-12 and so am I. It is a high honor to walk with these kids and it means so much to be with them – to giggle with them and cry with them.” Completing her thought with, “we cry because there isn’t a definitive answer.” Mary ended the conversation with, “in many ways my heart would sometimes miss a beat without Tu Nidito.”

Mary is enjoying her retirement. She fills her time with art of all kinds. Once a year she finds herself in the small town of Dillion Montana fly fishing, which is her passion. She has only missed one season in the last 20 years. She describes her time there as spiritual “there is so much room for me there and we have a million laughs together as we fish the clear fresh waters.”

Mary is a Tu Nidito treasure. Her energy is effusive. Her passion and compassion are contagious. It was an honor to learn her story and to share it with all of you. 

A Moving Experience: Volunteer Training

by Debbie Rich

Saturday, January 28 — I was greeted by Lynda Stites, our coordinator of Volunteer Services, I could feel her warmth and excitement for the upcoming day. The Tu Nidito living room was full, only one empty seat remained. I looked around at the 25 incoming volunteers and I could feel the same warmth I felt from Lynda.  This was going to be an amazing day.

Serena Sahajian, Bereavement Programs Manager, and Amerika McDaniel, Bi-lingual Support Specialist, were set to lead the training. Together these 2 individuals embody all that Tu Nidito aspires to provide for clients and volunteers: warmth, empathy, calm, curiosity and that important spark of joy.  I could tell they were totally prepared to hold this space and ensure that these volunteers had the tools and perspective they would need to be effective with our clients. 

Jumping right into the day, they posed a check-in question evoking connection with the group. The simple act of moving from person to person to learn their names and what brought them to the training created community. Everyone was there for the same reason, to learn, listen and absorb the empathetic energy it takes to support those who grieve. I was taken aback by the attendees, the group was comprised of college students, retirees, working folks and a few past program clients. Each one had a deep connection to Tu Nidito’s mission of creating a community of acceptance and understanding for those grieving a serious medical condition or death. Not all had firsthand experience, yet all had the desire to be of service.

I was immersed in the learning and the tools and tactics Serena and Amerika shared to ready us all to support those grieving. When I think of what stood out most, these words come to mind, “trust the process; I will never know how you feel, and I am here for you; everyone has the tools to work through grief, our service is to walk alongside them; turn to a child and say… I am listening.”   Such powerful tools!

I asked Lynda, Serena and Amerika to share their “AHA” moments…

Lynda responded, “I was really impressed by the trainers, Serena and Amerika, and their breadth of knowledge and insight, as well as their preparation and attention to detail. Our volunteer trainees were all engaged and asked good questions. I thought our group had some diversity that will benefit our families.”

Serena reflected, “What struck me the most, was how this group of volunteers already had a great foundation of knowledge around how to support and be empathetic. The way they were able to provide examples on why certain phrases or actions were helpful or unhelpful from their own personal grief experiences not only showed us, as staff, that they are going to make great facilitators, but also provided additional training material for their peers in the group. I was really blown away by that!”

Amerika shared “Something that stood out to me was before going on our tour of Tu Nidito, we went over reflective/active listening and how important it is to parrot back what the kids are saying so that they know we are listening. During our mocking talking circle all of the volunteers participated in the parroting process, which was really neat to see!”

Stay tuned for the next volunteer training dates and join us for the magic of Tu Nidito.

Top 7 Self-Care Activities

We know that as a volunteer you care very deeply about our children and their grief process. Because you give so much of yourself, it is essential to find space and practice self-care. Here are the top 7 Self-Care activities to consider:

1. Buy an adult coloring book. Try Johanna Basford’s collection!
2. Dance to your favorite music. Discover new music to dance to.
3. Go outside for a walk. Take a look at the best 10 trails in Tucson. 
4. Do some gardening. Explore Tucson Community Gardens.

5. Try a creative DIY project or join a local creative workshop. 

6. Listen to a motivational podcast. Here are some of the best.

7. Use aromatherapy. Here’s a list of essential oils for stress relief and sleep. 

Introducing FreeWill

A new resource to care for all you love

Since our heartfelt beginnings in 1994, we’ve focused on producing high-quality programming that meets the needs of the grieving community. We're so grateful to have your support in lifting up children, young adults, and each other grieving death and walking with one another on the journey.

Today, we want to share a significant act of care you can complete for all you love—no matter where you are in your life’s journey. Around 67% of American adults do not have an up-to-date will, but it’s an essential document for protecting the special people in your life, identifying a guardian for your minor children or pets, and getting peace of mind.

We're excited to announce that we’ve partnered with FreeWill: an estate planning resource that helps you make a will in just 20 minutes for free.

Because of you, we ensure that those who grieve are not alone. So with gratitude, we wanted to provide you with a tool that makes will-writing simple. FreeWill is a team of 200+ engineers, lawyers, nonprofit professionals, and designers committed to making the estate planning process more accessible for all.

Creating a community of acceptance and understanding for those grieving a serious medical condition or death begins with keeping ourselves and our loved ones safe, so complete this act of care for yourself today!

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