You Get What You Give - Book 1 Charity Selection

As I mentioned in a previous blog post, I will be donating a portion of my profits from each book to charity. I selected my charities based on the real-life issues my characters deal with in the story.

Delayed Penalty Charity: Open Arms Grief Support
St. John Providence Hospital

About the Program:
"Open Arms is a grieving children’s support program that helps children ages 3-17 years and their family members find healthy ways to cope with their feelings of sadness, anger or frustration, and be able to return to their day-to-day activities. Open Arms has become a place of comfort for children and adults who are surviving the loss of a loved one.
Open Arms grief support groups for illness, accident and suicide meet from 6-7:30 p.m. each week. There is a light meal before the groups and we offer transportation for families if needed. Children participate in grief support groups with their peers while their caregivers participate in our adult grief support groups."
~ From St. John Providence website.

Open Arms Services: 
"Open Arms school-based grief support groups operate at schools throughout Metropolitan Detroit during the school day. Please ask you school Social Worker/Counselor to find out if Open Arms has grief groups at your child’s school.

Open Arms Homicide Survivor Program helps families cope with the traumatic loss resulting from homicide through support groups and individual therapy. Additionally, Open Arms Homicide Coordinator helps families complete victim compensation paperwork and provide support and referrals for additional services. The groups meet weekly from 6-7:30 p.m. There is a light meal before the groups and we offer transportation for families if needed. Children participate in grief support groups with their peers while their caregivers participate in our adult grief support groups.

Open Arms Trauma Response Team assists the community when a traumatic death occurs. The team goes out to schools, businesses, churches and civic groups to help the groups cope with their traumatic loss.

Grief Camp is a 5 week day camp during July and August where children ages 7-14 years can come to find healthy ways to express their feelings associated with grief, meet other children who have had similar experiences, and have fun just being a kid again."
~ From St. John Providence website.


Why I Chose Open Arms I grew up a mile away from St. John Hospital in Detroit, and the Pilots, my fictional hockey team, is based in Detroit. I wanted to give back to a program that directly helps the grieving children in that community. As a victim of childhood trauma, I believe the loss of a loved one, especially a parent, on a child shapes how she perceives the world the rest of her life. The group support grief counseling really strikes a chord with me, because it was hard for me to sit and talk to an adult about my feelings. My hope is that being around other children who are having a similar experiences and feelings, may help kids open up when they normally wouldn't. (**That is strictly my personal, non-professional, non-study-verified opinion.**)


Just by buying my book, you are supporting this amazing program. 
I encourage my readers, my friends, to support the programs you feel strongly about. It doesn't have to be monetary. Volunteer your time. Donate goods. As you all know, there are a number of ways to make a difference. BE THE GOOD. :)

For more inspirational quotes on giving:
Click Here