History
Uplift Center for Grieving Children was established in 1995 as part of the Bereavement Program at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. Recognizing the growing need for high-quality and free grief services in Philadelphia, the program was incorporated as an independent nonprofit in 2000.
Over the past 25 years, Uplift has grown from offering a handful of support groups to providing a suite of grief and mental health support services. As the demand for grief and mental health support has surged both locally and nationally over the last several years, Uplift seeks to meet the rising urgency for high-quality services while reducing barriers to access fostered by historic and systemic inequalities.
Programs
Uplift offers peer support groups for children and teens in grades K-12th who have experienced the death of someone significant in their lives. Peer support and a caring adult presence help to reduce the feelings of isolation and loneliness that children often experience after death.
Uplift’s grief groups prioritize the agency, voice, and choice of participants. Under the supervision of Uplift’s team of Master’s degree-level clinicians, participating youth use creative activities, games, mindfulness and grounding techniques, and learn effective grief management skills. All groups are divided by age and developmental level to best tailor our support programs. Uplift also offers caregiver groups to support adults raising a grieving child. All programs for grieving children and families are provided free of charge.
Uplift provides grief groups at public, private, charter, and parochial schools in Philadelphia County. Youth meet for a six-week cycle of groups during the school year with peers of a similar age and developmental level.
Family Services groups take place in the evenings, during a five-week cycle. Options are available for youth to meet with developmental peers and for youth and caregivers to attend groups together.
Following the death of a member of a school of a community organization, Uplift can create groups for youth, caregivers, and school faculty who are acutely affected by the death.
Uplift offers specialty groups for Spanish-speaking youth and families, LGBTQIA+ youth and families, and justice-involved youth who are grieving a death. Additionally, Uplift's Resilient Parenting for Bereaved Families program educates caregivers who are grieving the death of a caregiver.
Uplift's Philly HopeLine is a connection point for youth and families seeking grief, mental health, and emotional support services. The line is staffed by Uplift's Master's-level clinical team. Callers can receive on-demand support, sign up for an Uplift grief group, or be connected to complementary mental health and community support services.
Uplift's clinical team educates thousands of front-line professionals about youth grief and trauma. Clinicians train school faculty, as well as independent counselors, social workers, and therapists.
Strategic Plan
In September 2024, Uplift publicly announced its strategic plan, titled Growth Without Compromise. This three-year strategic plan serves as a roadmap for Uplift to expand its services in a managed, mission, and values-driven way. Uplift will continue to provide high-quality services, act as a trusted partner, and retain its core values, while retaining the attributes that make its services effective.