[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 176 (Thursday, November 17, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2072]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 RECOGNIZING THE WORK OF HIGHMARK CARING PLACE CENTERS AND REMEMBERING 
                     CHILDREN'S GRIEF AWARENESS DAY

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                           HON. JASON ALTMIRE

                            of pennsylvania

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 17, 2011

  Mr. ALTMIRE. Mr. Speaker, today I wish to recognize the good work 
being done in Pennsylvania to help children and teenagers cope with the 
loss of a loved one.
  For more than a decade, Highmark Caring Place centers in Pennsylvania 
have worked with hundreds of schools and businesses throughout the 
commonwealth to promote better strategies for helping young people deal 
with the death of a loved one. This type of tragedy is a burden faced 
by too many young people. One out of every twenty children will lose a 
parent, and one in seven children will lose someone close to them--such 
as a brother, sister, or grandparent--before they reach the age of 18.
  As the holiday season approaches, the pain of losing a loved one 
often grows as memories of past holidays are revisited. Many grieving 
children will feel alone and afraid, and although it is often believed 
that children are less affected by loss and more able to easily 
continue with their lives, the opposite is true. These children need 
the caring support of family, friends, and others to help them 
understand and cope with their feelings.
  Since its founding in 1997, Highmark Caring Place has served over 
30,000 people and in 2008 alone, provided the equivalent of $428,000 in 
volunteer service hours. The program brings together grieving children, 
their families, and trained volunteers to share meals, talk and play 
games, and engage in group discussions with other families coping with 
the same experience. These programs are free of charge to the community 
and open to anyone.
  On November 17, Pennsylvanians will mark Children's Grief Awareness 
Day, a day of remembrance initiated by school students across the 
commonwealth to bring attention to their classmates coping with a loss. 
Thousands of students will wear blue to show solidarity with, and 
support for, their peers. Others will hold assemblies, bake sales, and 
presentations to raise awareness. I commend these students for their 
initiative and the compassion they are showing for their peers.
  Through their programs and the generosity of their volunteers, 
Highmark Caring Place is truly making a difference in the lives of 
grieving children and their families. I wish to express my sincere 
gratitude for the work they do.

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