Atlanta, GA
Metro Atlanta organization helping make holidays special for children dealing with loss of parents
Metro Atlanta group helps make holidays particular for youngsters coping with loss
The Pleasure Mission has made it its mission to test off the lists for youngsters within the metro Atlanta space who’ve misplaced their mother and father.
ATLANTA – This time of yr there’s all the time a rush to get every thing and everybody checked off the Christmas checklist. One group has made it their mission to test off these lists for youngsters who’re experiencing a few of the most tough losses.
The Pleasure Mission helps get every thing on the checklist for youngsters who misplaced one or each of their mother and father.
The vacations could be probably the most lovely instances of the yr, and likewise probably the most tough, particularly for households experiencing loss.
“The vacations, they’re arduous. Whether or not it is contemporary you simply misplaced a mum or dad or liked one, or it has been 10 years, 20 years,” Natalie Sorrells mentioned. Sorrells is aware of that ache. She misplaced her sister in a drunk driving accident six years in the past. Her sister left behind a daughter who was solely 2 years outdated on the time. Her loss is what sparked the Pleasure Mission.
“By my grief, my therapeutic course of was centered in quite a lot of methods round pleasure. So I believed what higher manner than to lean into people who find themselves grieving, very particularly like Mia, who’ve misplaced their mother and father, simply to create these moments of pleasure,” Sorrells advised Good Day’s Lindsay Tuman.
Yr-round, the group tries to search out methods to create pleasure for youngsters who’re experiencing related losses. These have included artwork auctions or paying for dance classes and piano classes.
“Simply issues that may have introduced them pleasure earlier than they misplaced a mum or dad, and might deliver them pleasure now after they’ve misplaced a mum or dad,” Sorrells mentioned.
This time of yr, it is also about discovering that pleasure for the youngsters, whereas serving to the surviving mum or dad or caregiver, by taking good care of the Christmas lists. That is their plan for Lindsey Banos’ household this yr.
“My husband’s cousin handed away in a home hearth, 4 children have been in the home, they usually made it out, and her husband handed away from COVID every week later,” Banos mentioned.
She and her husband took of their 4 children, making a household of 10.
“Typically I inform these children simply waking up daily is a win. Simply doing all your greatest at college, finding out, and hanging out with your mates, that is a win.” she mentioned.
They discovered concerning the Pleasure Mission by a faculty steering counselor. Banos mentioned it has been an enormous assist for the vacations and past.
“Tragedies could make you see the very best in humanity typically. And what folks actually are able to after they don’t have anything to achieve from it,” she mentioned.
Sorrells says their mission isn’t actually full. Even after discovering a solution to give children some pleasure, they wish to join households with one another and create a long-lasting group.
“That is additionally a program the place typically might hit residence for a few of these children a couple of years after the actual fact, that there are nonetheless folks on the market wanting to assist,” Sorrells mentioned.
If you wish to assist with the Pleasure Mission, they’re on the lookout for assist getting all of the gadgets for the ten children on their checklist this yr. A hyperlink to their web site could be discovered right here. To assist fulfill Christmas lists for the Pleasure Mission households, click on right here.