On Giving Tuesday, Local Nonprofit Reminds Community That Giving Your Time Can Be the Greatest Gift

Ronnie’s House for Hope, an organization that teaches children and adults how to understand and cope with grief, says the heart of Giving Tuesday is connection. Their programs emphasize that one of the most powerful gifts a person can offer is the willingness to sit with someone who is hurting and simply listen.

Inside a quiet room at Kennedy Elementary School, that philosophy was on full display. Silence filled the space—broken only by the occasional sound of markers moving across fabric. Several students, ranging in age from six to twelve, gathered for a grief support group hosted by the nonprofit. Each child was given a pillowcase and encouraged to draw what they felt. Some chose flowers. Others wrote words or memories connected to someone they lost.

Counselors say these sessions give students a rare platform to express emotions that they often don’t feel safe sharing elsewhere.

“A lot of times families don’t encourage that,” one counselor explained. “And we’ve heard stories where teachers tell us, ‘Since group, this student has been so much more active in class. They’re talking again.’ Grief can completely shut children down, but expression opens them up.”

One of the day’s exercises, called a “stone drop,” allowed the students to express themselves in one of three ways: making a wish, remembering someone, or letting go of a painful memory. For many, it offered a small but meaningful step in their healing journey.

Program Director Williams understands that journey well. She lost her mother three years ago—an experience that deeply shaped her work.

“Losing my mom catapulted me into this field,” she said. “People ask how I talk about grief all week long, but honestly, it’s part of my healing. These kids help me probably more than I help them.”

She says the most important lesson they can teach children is that emotions are not weaknesses.

“They need to know it’s okay to cry,” Williams said. “Strength isn’t holding tears back—strength is allowing them to flow.”

As the holiday season approaches, Ronnie’s House for Hope will continue its mission of helping families honor loved ones who are no longer here. Their fifth annual Light Up for Love Candlelight Ceremony will offer a free, welcoming space for the community to gather, remember, and celebrate those they’ve lost. Attendees are invited to submit names and photos of loved ones to be included in the tribute.