Become Grief Sensitive
Brighter Days is proud to offer our comprehensive Grief Care Plan, designed specifically for Minnesota school districts. This initiative supports schools in fostering compassionate, inclusive environments for students, educators, and staff who are navigating the return to school following the death of a loved one.
We recognize that grief touches every member of a school community differently, and that creating a safe, caring space is essential for healing and resilience. Our Grief Care Plan provides structured education, training, and resources that equip schools to respond with sensitivity and confidence.
To meet the diverse needs of districts across Minnesota, our program offers tiered levels of service. These options allow schools to select the level of support that best aligns with their budget and priorities, while ensuring that every participant receives meaningful tools for understanding and supporting grieving students.
Through this plan, Brighter Days seeks to empower schools to:
• Build awareness and understanding of grief among staff and students.
• Provide practical strategies for supporting grieving children, teens, and adults.
• Strengthen community connections by normalizing conversations about loss.
• Create sustainable systems of care that honor both individual and collective experiences of grief.
For more information or to explore how the Grief Care Plan can be tailored to your district, please fill out our request form HERE.
Growing Through Grief
Effective December 1, 2025, Brighter Days Family Grief Center has acquired the Park Nicollet Growing Through Grief program. Please find the joint announcement below.
As the driving force behind Children’s Grief Awareness Day in Minnesota, and an advocate working to bring grief curriculum into schools, this step deepens our commitment to walk alongside school communities as they navigate the complexities of grief.
By weaving elements of the program content into Minnesota school districts, we can expand specialized support, equip educators with vital training, and strengthen their ability to respond compassionately in times of crisis. Although school-based support will look different, our tiered services guarantee that Minnesota schools have access to meaningful options. This includes the full range of Brighter Days programming such as our grief camps and family grief support series, ensuring comprehensive support for students and families.
While the Growing Through Grief team will remain employees of Park Nicollet through the school year, Brighter Days future staffing needs will be continually assessed to ensure resources align with demand. This approach empowers schools to build self-sufficiency in grief awareness and response, fostering environments rooted in care and resilience.
As Brighter Days enters its 10th year, this acquisition represents more than growth. It is a promise to grieving students that our schools will be places where their grief is met with empathy and understanding.
For current Growing Through Grief districts: Nicole Barnes, Growing Through Grief Program Manager, nicole.barnes@parknicollet.com
All other Minnesota school districts: Josie Robinson, Brighter Days School Support Liaison, josie@brighterdaysgriefcenter.org
Joint Announcement 12/1/2025
We are pleased to share important news about the future of grief support, awareness, and education in Minnesota schools. Effective December 1, 2025, Brighter Days Family Grief Center has acquired the Park Nicollet Growing Through Grief program, with transition efforts beginning immediately.
Brighter Days Family Grief Center is a statewide nonprofit offering no-cost, compassionate services to individuals and families facing the death or terminal diagnosis of a loved one. As a trusted partner to hospitals, hospices, and communities across Minnesota, Brighter Days is known for its impactful youth programs, including Camp Erin–Minnesota, a transformative bereavement experience for children and families, and its Family Grief Support Series, which brings together parents, caregivers, and children for healing and connection. The organization also provides specialized grief counseling, youth support groups, and was instrumental in establishing Children’s Grief Awareness Day in Minnesota.
For the past 28 years, Growing Through Grief has been a school-based support program offered through Park Nicollet Hospice. The program’s integration into Brighter Days ensures its continued growth and sustainability under the leadership of a statewide grief center. Brighter Days is fully committed to honoring the Park Nicollet values of Excellence, Partnership, Compassion, and Integrity, with a shared belief that every grieving child and family deserves access to meaningful, consistent support.
What Will Stay the Same
- During the 2025–2026 school year, our intent is that existing Growing Through Grief partner school districts will continue receiving services as they always have.
- We anticipate students will experience no disruption in care—support will remain consistent and school-based.
- Growing Through Grief staff will remain employees of Park Nicollet throughout the 2025-2026 school year.
- Brighter Days will continue to offer its services for school districts that are not under contract with Growing Through Grief.
We are committed to ensuring continuity, minimizing disruption, and providing compassionate support at every step of this transition.
What Will Evolve
- Beginning in the 2026–2027 school year, Brighter Days will implement a multi-tiered support model for school districts. This will include:
- Tailored student and faculty support
- Faculty and staff training
- Grief and loss education
- Crisis response and resources
- Brighter Days will preserve the core values and content of the Growing Through Grief program while expanding its reach and sustainability through evidence-informed practices and strategic statewide growth.
- A Continued Partnership Rooted in Care – Brighter Days and Park Nicollet Hospice will continue to collaborate in support of grieving students, families, and communities. This partnership reflects our shared commitment to ensuring that all individuals regardless of age or circumstance receive compassionate care during times of loss.
We are deeply grateful for your partnership as we enter this new chapter. Together, we will strengthen and grow this vital work—ensuring that grief awareness, education, and compassionate care remain a strong and lasting presence in Minnesota schools for years to come.
For more information, please contact:
Nicole Barnes
Program Manager, Growing Through Grief
Nicole.barnes@parknicollet.com
Carolyn Kinzel
President, Brighter Days Family Grief Center
carolyn@brighterdaysgriefcenter.org
P (952) 219-8512