2020 Arizona tax credit: Tu Nidito

“I thought the support group would be sad, but I was happy to see the social side of our meetings. Coming to group at Tu Nidito is an easy way to do a hard thing,” shares a Tu Nidito teen.

That “hard thing” is grief. During a year of profound turmoil and loss, Tu Nidito Children and Family Services perseveres to ensure that no child grieves alone.

Since the pandemic began, Tu Nidito pivoted all programming to a virtual format. On any given weekday evening, Tu Nidito’s virtual support groups are bustling with children, teens and young adults, meeting with their peers, face to face via Zoom.

Unlike their daily remote schooling, participants are gathering together for support over their shared grief. That is, grief due to a loved one’s death or a parent/caregiver’s diagnosis of a serious medical condition. The ability to meet virtually connects grieving youths ages 3½ to 18, their parents/caregivers, and adults ages 18-39, throughout Southern Arizona, including rural areas of Pima County, and other Southern Arizona communities that would otherwise not have access to this type of support.

For many participants, their support group is the one place they feel safe letting their guard down and expressing their grief. Together they create much-needed bonds and, with the guidance from trained volunteers, learn healthy coping strategies for navigating overwhelming emotions such as fear, guilt, anxiety and anger.

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Tu Nidito is Southern Arizona’s only source for free emotional support programming for children, teens, young adults and families impacted by the diagnosis of a serious medical condition or the death of someone special. Through individualized and group support programming in English and Spanish, Tu Nidito serves on average more than 650 children annually.

As we continue addressing the immense grief waves left in the wake of the coronavirus, Tu Nidito is reliant on donations from our community to ensure that no child grieves alone.

COVID-19 has claimed the lives of beloved grandparents, parents, siblings, cousins, aunts and uncles. By making your Arizona Charitable Tax Credit donation to Tu Nidito, you help provide comfort, hope and support to our neighbors impacted by grief.

For more information about Tu Nidito and donating visit tunidito.org/donate.