Hospice Quinte has received a $40,000 gift from the Federal Government’s ‘Emergency Community Support Fund’ enabling the organization to expand upon its existing grief and bereavement support services, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. Thanks to this special funding, procured through United Way Hastings & Prince Edward, Hospice Quinte will now offer professional counselling services, in addition to its existing peer support program, to further assist those who may be bereaved and grieving the loss of a loved one during these extraordinary times.
“We are incredibly grateful to receive this much needed support from the Government of Canada and our friends at United Way,” says Jennifer May-Anderson, Executive Director of Hospice Quinte. “The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly impacted our organization, our volunteers and our clients. We have seen a significant rise in the need for increasingly complicated grief and bereavement support during this difficult time. Now, with thanks to this funding, we are able to expand our existing program and better serve the community by adding a Bereavement Support Specialist to our team.”
Hospice Quinte’s Bereavement Support Specialist will support clients through the process of dealing with the death of a loved one. They will assess clients’ needs and provide supportive counselling by telephone or video conferencing, individually or in groups, to bereaved and grieving individuals across the Quinte region.
“The work that Hospice Quinte accomplishes in our community is tremendous. A very tough diagnosis is always easier to face when there’s care and consideration surrounding patients, and their families, at every step of that journey,” says Member of Parliament for Bay of Quinte, Neil Ellis. “It’s great to know that the $40,000 in funding which Hospice Quinte will receive through the federal government’s Emergency Community Support Fund will make their job—of providing that support to palliative patients during the ongoing COVID-19 situation—a little bit easier.”
“This pandemic is creating stresses on many families,” says Brandi Hodge, Executive Director of United Way HPE. “Grief is complex at the best of times; the pandemic prevented many families from being with their loved one during their final hours and that can be overwhelming for those left behind. We’re grateful that Hospice Quinte is providing this service so people can start to heal; we’re proud to support it through the Government of Canada’s Emergency Community Support Fund.”
