Tidewell Hospice is expanding its Blue Butterfly program into Sarasota's Newtown community, creating greater access to free grief services for children and families living in one of the city’s oldest historically Black neighborhoods. A lead investment from Charles & Margery Barancik Foundation to the Tidewell Foundation facilitated the creation of Tidewell’s Blue Butterfly Newtown program, which was developed in partnership with Bethlehem Bible Church. The program helps grieving children ages 5-18 and caregivers through professional counseling, peer-support groups and therapeutic activities. The free grief sessions bring children together who are experiencing the complex emotions that follow the loss of a loved one. Blue Butterfly peer-support groups are facilitated by grief specialists and trained volunteers who are equipped with the knowledge and skills to support children and families. Throughout Charlotte, DeSoto, Manatee and Sarasota counties, one in 13 children will lose one or both parents before they turn 18.

Tidewell’s Blue Butterfly Newtown program sessions will begin August 18 at Bethlehem Bible Church, located at 1680 18th St.. The free sessions will be held bimonthly on the first and third Wednesday of every month from 5:30-7:30 p.m. For more information or to register for a session, click here.