Tides is dedicated to providing support programming to children, teens and adults who are grieving the death of a loved one. We believe that grief is a natural and normal process that is unique to each person. By offering a judgement-free and caring environments, Tides helps individuals of all ages journey through their own individualized healing process. We connect with individuals who have experienced loss by hosting peer grief support groups, offering educational and guidance sessions as requested, provide crisis response support, and offer additional books and resources to provide hope and encouragement to families.

Vision: Form a community of individuals who know they do not need to grieve alone.

Mission: Provide a grief support system to children, teens, and adults.

Commitment: Connect individuals by providing grief support to children, teens, and adults by hosting peer support groups, educational and guidance sessions, providing crisis response support, and additional resources to provide hope and encouragement to families.

We believe that each individual processes grief in their own unique way. By following the philosophy of Dr. Alan Wolfelt at the Center for Loss and Transition, the staff and volunteers at Tides provide a safe space for companioning individuals during their mourning and grief. By taking the “companioning” approach, we seek to learn from individuals how they are feeling and their perspective on their grief. We listen to their stories. We provide an environment where participants feel comfortable sharing and connecting with others.

In December 2002, it became evident to our founder, Leslie Finton, that our community had no support for school aged grieving children.  A collaborative relationship was formed among The Cancer Program at Mount Nittany Medical Center, The State College Area School District, Brookline Home Care and Hospice and The House of Care to create, implement, and found a group which became known as Tides.

The name Tides compares to the grief journey and the ebb and flow of a tumultuous ocean.