The Beau Bear Foundation
Our Mission
Mission Statement
The Beau Bear Foundation is a non-profit organization whose mission is to reach and bless grieving families after tragic and sudden loss of a child.
Founded by a family that has walked through their own loss, the foundation was born out of compassion and the conviction to help others that are dealing with emotional trauma. The Beau Bear Foundation provides financial aid, household essentials, and additional emotional support and resources.
The Need
The loss of a child is something that no parent should ever experience, but it is something that is more common than anyone can imagine. With approximately 10,000 children dying per year in the United States, it is likely at some point you will know someone who walks through this travesty.
We hope that you think of the Beau Bear Foundation when you learn of a need we can help fulfill.
The average burial and funeral costs a family anywhere from $5,300 up to $23,500. Most families who experience the sudden loss of a child are not prepared for this expense.
The psychological effects loosing a child has on parents is overwhelming. One study from NCBI says that for parents, the dissolution of the attachment relationship with the child elicits severe anxiety and other negative emotions associated with loss. Parents might also experience guilt about having been unable to protect the child. (NCBI)
NCBI research also found that bereaved parents, especially mothers, were at increased risk for a first psychiatric hospitalization as compared with nonbereaved parents. In fact, maternal risk of hospitalization remained significantly elevated 5 years or more after the death. Investigators also found that mortality rates were higher among bereaved than non-bereaved parents, particularly for deaths due to unnatural causes (e.g., accidents and suicide) within the first 3 years after the child’s death.
The one thing that all the research says is that the support and community that a bereaved parent and family receives is a key factor for what their grief process looks like.
The Beau Bear Foundation exists to ensure that each and every family grieving the sudden and tragic loss of a child has the support they need to grieve the way they need to grieve. We exist to stand in the gap for these families and to bear the burden in any way we can.
Ways We Support Grieving Families
There are many ways that the Beau Bear Foundation support families that are grieving. We tailor our support to the family themselves. Here are a few ways we help:
Hospital Bills
We are here to help with hospital bills that happen as a result of the loss of a child.
Groceries
One of the last things on a families mind while grieving is going grocery shopping. We are here to stand in that gap and help provide necessities.
Hotel Expenses
If there are hotel expenses incurred from this tragedy, we are here to help with those.
House Cleaning
We want to help grieving families homes feel as welcoming as we can. Part of this is having it clean. We are here to help ensure their home is clean and cared for, so the grieving family doesn't have to.
The Process
After a family is submitted to us, we will do our due diligence to ensure they meet the criteria of who we are here to serve.
- A family grieving the sudden and tragic loss of a child.
- "A child" is any child that is in their home under the age of 18.
We will work with a Point of Contact for the family, not typically the family themselves. We want to be a blessing not a burden, and often a grieving family doesn't have the capacity to coordinate with us. That is where a Point of Contact steps in. This Point of Contact is typically a close family friend, or a member of the grieving families extended family.
We assess the grieving families needs, and determine how we can meet them.
We stay involved with the grieving family for as long or as short as they would like. We can be here for them when everyone else leaves and they have to go back to reality, without their child. We can continue to reach out and continue to be involved as long as they need. Each and every family is different.
Requirements
Submit a Family in Need
If you know of a family walking through the sudden and tragic loss of a child, please submit their information here.
We will contact the person listed as the point person to protect the grieving family.
Our team will work through a process with the family point person to see if the Beau Bear Foundation is a good fit for the family in need.
Requirements
Submit a Family in Need
If you know of a family walking through the sudden and tragic loss of a child, please submit their information here.
We will contact the person listed as the point person to protect the grieving family.
Our team will work through a process with the family point person to see if the Beau Bear Foundation is a good fit for the family in need.