Through partnerships with schools, social services, emergency services, community organizations and businesses, the Solace Tree works with families to prevent the negative consequences of unresolved grief. “Our goal is to provide children, teens, and adults an opportunity to express, acknowledge, normalize and integrate their grief experience,” explained Executive Director Emilio Parga.

In its nine years of service, this local non-profit organization has:

• Served nearly 5,000 children, teens and adults
• Developed a special session for teens dealing with teen suicide
• Met the needs of about 50% of those who have experienced loss in Northern Nevada
• Produced six books: The Solace Tree Love Never Stops, I Will Never Forget You, No Child Should Grieve Alone, Out of The Shadows, Kids Can Cope
• Trained more than 100 volunteers, who have provided more than 100,000 volunteer hours
• Facilitated/participated in more than 500 speaking engagements and 85 workshops
• Hosted seven Grief Camps at Lake Tahoe for 153 children and 50 teens
• Provided service for people from 12 cultures and seven religions.

The Solace Tree receives no government funding, instead it is supported entirely by private donations and professional training fees; and rely on the generosity of individuals, businesses and foundations. “We are so grateful for the community support that has allowed us to help these families,” said Parga. “We’ve accomplished a lot in the last nine years, but there’s still so much more to do,”

For more information, visit www.solacetree.org.

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The Solace Tree mission is to provide peer support, information and education to schools and the community to promote healing and recovery for grieving children, teens and their families who are affected by loss. Solace Tree volunteers enable children and adults to talk about the things they can’t talk about at school or with peers. It is the volunteers in each group that provide safety for the children and families to share their grief. The Solace Tree runs its programs on the traditional Washoe County School District schedule. Volunteers do not work on holidays.

Download the volunteer application from http://www.solacetree.org/solacetree-volunteer.pdf, and then send it to The Solace Tree, P.O. Box 2944, Reno, NV 89505, along with the training fee of $50. The fee is a donation to the program and goes toward background checks, snacks, insurance, training materials, camp supplies and power bills. Volunteers work directly with grieving children and teens twice a month (four to eight hours) in peer support groups. A three-day training (with course fee) is required. Volunteers are required to make a one year commitment to the program.

The Solace Tree, Inc. a 501c (3) non-profit based in Reno, NV.

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The Solace Tree, Inc. a 501c (3) non-profit based in Reno, NV, with a mission is to provide peer support, information and education to schools and the community to promote healing and recovery for grieving children, teens and their families who are affected by loss. For more information, visit www.solacetree.org.

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Bob Schlesinger swam lake Tahoe 23 years ago while his son was still an infant. When Robby was fifteen, his father was injured in a car accident that eventually left him with severe chronic pain. After years of struggling with his condition, Bob Schlesinger took his own life.

As his family grieved, Robby was inspired by the message of the Solace Tree, which provides counseling and a safe environment for those who have experienced a loss to express their grief. In cooperation with Solace Tree Executive Director Emilio Parga, Robby has established Swimming for Solace, which will be collecting donations and pledges to directly support the Solace Tree. To donate, please click here.

Robby is training extensively for his swim this August, which will take place in various legs consisting of several miles a day in 50-60 degree water, spanning several days. While the training is arduous and the challenge is daunting, Robby finds motivation in the memory his father. “My dad always prided himself on being the guy that brought people together,” says Robby, “and I think that’s what we should shoot for too.”

The Solace Tree, Inc. a Reno-based 501c (3) non-profit with a mission to provide peer support, information and education to schools and the community to promote healing and recovery for grieving children, teens and their families who are affected by loss. For more information, visit www.solacetree.org.

 About Gentiva Hospice Foundation

Gentiva Hospice Foundation’s mission is to support and educate persons and organizations dealing with life-limiting illnesses. For more information, visit www.gentivahospicefoundation.org.

About Solace Tree

The Solace Tree, Inc. a 501c (3) non-profit based in Reno, NV. The Solace Tree mission is to provide peer support, information and education to schools and the community to promote healing and recovery for grieving children, teens and their families who are affected by loss. For more information, visit www.solacetree.org.

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“School is where we equip children for life, and death is part of life,” Parga said. “This presentation will examine issues of childhood and teen grief associated with death, experienced in and out of school.”

About NcSCA

The Nevada School Counselor Association (NvSCA) supports school counselors’ efforts to help students focus on academic, personal/social and career development so they achieve success in school and are prepared to lead fulfilling lives as responsible members of society. NvSCA provides professional development, publications and other resources, research and advocacy to professional school counselors around the state.

About The Solace Tree

The Solace Tree, Inc. a 501c (3) non-profit based in Reno, NV. The Solace Tree mission is to provide peer support, information and education to schools and the community to promote healing and recovery for grieving children, teens and their families who are affected by loss. For more information, visit www.solacetree.org.

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Reno, NV (January 29, 2013) – The Alliance with the Washoe County Medical Society (AWCMS) has made a generous donation of $4,700 to the Solace Tree. The grant will be used for the publication of new and reprinted Solace Tree books and journals, including:

• Out of the Shadows $9.95
• Kids Can Cope $9.95
• Love Never Stops $7.95
• I Will Never Forget You $11.95

Proceeds from these books benefit peer support programs at The Solace Tree for grieving children, teens and families. For more information, visit www.solacetree.org/bookstore.

The Solace Tree, Inc. a 501c (3) non-profit based in Reno, NV. The Solace Tree mission is to provide peer support, information and education to schools and the community to promote healing and recovery for grieving children, teens and their families who are affected by loss. For more information, visit www.solacetree.org.

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• Orientation
• Losing Someone You Love
• Why Do I Feel Like This?
• Saying Goodbye
• Ways to Remember
• Growing Up Fast
• Dealing With School
• Holiday’s Are Hard
• They Get It
• It’s Okay To Cry
• Moving Forward, Looking Back

“We’re grateful to WCSD Superintendent Pedro Martinez and his counseling staff for allowing us to bring these vital services into the schools,” said Emilio Parga, Solace Tree Executive Director. The program is currently available for elementary and middle schools, with plans to expand into the high schools in the next school year.

Through partnerships with schools, social services, emergency services, community organizations and businesses, the Solace Tree works with families to prevent the negative consequences of unresolved grief. “Our goal is to provide children, teens, and adults an opportunity to express, acknowledge, normalize and integrate their grief experience,” Parga said.

The Good Grief Program is currently available for elementary and middle schools, with plans to expand into high schools in the next school year. If you’d like more information for your school, please contact Terri Vann at 775.287.1723.

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The Solace Tree mission is to provide peer support, information and education to schools and the community to promote healing and recovery for grieving children, teens and their families who are affected by loss. Solace Tree volunteers enable children and adults to talk about the things they can’t talk about at school or with peers. It is the volunteers in each group that provide safety for the children and families to share their grief. The Solace Tree runs its programs on the traditional Washoe County School District schedule. Volunteers do not work on holidays.

Download the volunteer application from http://www.solacetree.org/solacetree-volunteer.pdf, and then send it to The Solace Tree, P.O. Box 2944, Reno, NV 89505, along with the training fee of $50. The fee is a donation to the program and goes towards background checks, snacks, insurance, training materials, camp supplies and power bills. Volunteers work directly with grieving children and teens twice a month (four to eight hours) in peer support groups. A three-day training (with course fee) is required. Volunteers are required to make a one year commitment to the program.

The Solace Tree, Inc. a 501c (3) non-profit based in Reno, NV. For more information, visit www.solacetree.org.

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