On July 7-10th for 32-hours 16 new volunteers were trained to take on a year-long commitment at Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss as volunteer facilitators. The training is delivered by Imagine clinical staff who model how to provide support using mirroring and reflection and by immersing the volunteers in the experience of a support group. “The training was so rich and gave me a true sense of how to facilitate as well as the value in the work we do,” said one newly trained facilitator, Maria Mujica.
“Volunteers are the heart and soul of Imagine and we could not be more grateful to all of the people who take on this commitment,” said Mary Robinson, Imagine Executive Director.
“Since moving into our new space (244 Sheffield St., Mountainside, NJ) we have grown quickly as anticipated,” said Mandi Zucker, Imagine’s Program Director. “These new volunteers mean we can start a fifth Night of Support in September serving 60 additional children and adults without having to place anyone on a waiting list. We now provide support groups on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays, offering more choices and flexibility to the participants that need it.”
Imagine offers free year-round grief support groups for people ages 3-30 as well as parents/guardians of the children who have had a parent or sibling die, and for people coping with a family member with a terminal or chronic illness. Support groups meet on weekday nights for an hour and a half. Dinner is provided prior to the group meeting.
To schedule an orientation for yourself or your family, or for more information about volunteering, please contact Imagine at 908-264- 3100 or info@imaginenj.org.
(above, back row) Kathy Vergel (Westfield), Nina Carnavale (Caldwell), Florence Wilcox (Watchung), Meredith Stick (Westfield), Remy Davis (Basking Ridge), Monica Rodriguez (Union), Alayne Morgenthal (Westfield), Beth Rakin (Warren).(front row) Kathy Dulan (Westfield), Elizabeth Savnik (Bound Brook), Mandi Zucker (Westfield), Dorothy Jean Jones (Piscataway), Juliann Satz (North Brunswick), Jacqueline Miller (North Plainfield), Anna Berman (Warren), Veronica Ortiz (North Plainfield),Mackenzie Kuhl (Westfield), Maria Mujica (Union).
