At Chilliwack Hospice Society, the new fridge enhances the experience of participants in grief support groups by making it easier to prepare and share meals. Whether it’s a pot of soup, a tray of sandwiches, or snacks and refreshments after a support session, food often plays a quiet but powerful role in creating connection and comfort.

“Grief can feel incredibly isolating, but when people gather to cook or share a meal, it becomes easier to talk, to listen, and to simply be together,” said Sue Knott, Executive Director of Chilliwack Hospice Society. “These fridges may seem like a small upgrade, but it has already deepened the sense of community and care we strive to create in every one of our free programs.”

One program already benefiting is the Men’s Cooking Group, held the last Saturday of each month from 5–7:00pm. Open to men who are grieving the death of someone in their lives, this casual, confidential evening of cooking and conversation invites participants to connect with others who are on their own grief journey. Whether you’re an experienced cook or looking to learn new skills, you’re welcome. To join the men’s cooking group or learn more, contact Lucy Fraser, MSW, Director of Programs, at (604) 795-4660 or lucy@chilliwackhospice.org.

The fridge at Thrifty Boutique, located at #101–7955 Evans Road, was purchased specifically for volunteer use. Volunteers play a vital role in the Boutique’s daily operations — from sorting donations and merchandising to assisting shoppers. With a dedicated space to store lunches, beverages, and treats, the new fridge is helping make their time at the store more enjoyable and comfortable.

Chilliwack Hospice Society extends heartfelt thanks to the Distribution Committee of the Chilliwack Foundation for making these purchases possible and for its ongoing support of the Society’s work over the years.

Chilliwack Hospice Society has extended its grief support program for children and youth to include video gaming to better accommodate clients who are neurodiverse with the support of a community grant from the Chilliwack Foundation.

According to Child and Youth Program Manager Franceska Hills, over the last several years, the number of child and youth clients with a diagnosis of Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and other neurodevelopmental disorders have steadily increased at the Society. Hills identified video gaming as an engaging and exciting support model for neurodivergent children. By offering in-person grief support services through video gaming, children who might otherwise feel self-conscious, apprehensive, and isolated can access support in a familiar, low-barrier way tailored to their interests.

By embracing and accommodating neurodivergent kids, we alleviate the pressure of them having to perform like their neurotypical peers, masking who they are and how they feel, and denying their needs, Hills explains. That kind of pressure is exhausting and makes the grieving process even harder.

Through games like Minecraft, children who typically find it uncomfortable and challenging to interact with others, either one-to-one or in a group, can navigate a video game world and feel knowledgeable, successful, and in control.

Promoting opportunities that provide a sense of security is so essential, particularly when a child or youth is grieving because the feeling of having no control is intensified when someone they love has died, Hills says.

A generous Chilliwack Foundation grant in 2023 enabled the Society to purchase a new television screen, Nintendo Switch, games, and bean bag chairs for the programming space dedicated to its youngest grief support clients. Since then, the innovative extension of the Child and Youth Program of combining grief support and emotional development with video gaming has improved accessibility for neurodivergent and neurotypical clients alike.

Connecting with grieving children and youth often appears differently than grief support for adults. Discussions about death, dying, grief, and loss can occur through playful and creative activities wherein children’s and youth’s grief experiences are processed and normalized. The addition of video gaming to existing supports such as art, music, and play, has been exceptionally complementary.

At Chilliwack Hospice Society, one of the organization’s goals is to provide free, low-barrier grief support services through a variety of programs for children and youth. Individual needs are accommodated through one-to-one support, community outreach, in-school support, group support, family activities, and equine connections. All programs and services are offered free of charge because of the generosity of community donors and their support of Chilliwack Hospice Society fundraising events and the Thrifty Boutique.

To learn more about the Child and Youth Program at Chilliwack Hospice Society or to make a donation, please call (604) 795-4660 or visit www.chilliwackhospice.org

Photo by Jesper Brouwers on Unsplash