Highmark Caring Place "Holding on to HOPE" Butterfly Campaign Takes Flight

PITTSBURGH, Aug. 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- The Highmark Caring Place introduced Children's Grief Awareness Day three years ago to help raise awareness of the impact of death on children and need to support children who are grieving the death. In 2010 the event grew to become a national observance. This year's event, set for Thursday, Nov. 17, will become international through the introduction of a new element to the annual observance day, the "Holding on to HOPE" butterfly campaign.

"We are excited about the 'HOPE' campaign since it provides a creative and easy way for people across the nation and worldwide to let grieving children know they're not alone and that we as individuals and as a nation support them," said Terese Vorsheck, director of the Highmark Caring Place. "We invite individuals, businesses and organizations who care about children and families to join our movement to raise awareness of the needs of these children and families."

Participants can add their voice, their photo and location to their messages of hope to show grieving children everywhere that they are not alone. The campaign hopes to secure as many photographs of as many people in as many places possible with HOPE.

"Through the use of a variety of different social media tools such as e-mail, Facebook and Twitter, participants can pass hope on electronically to colleagues, friends and family everywhere," said Vorsheck. "Holding on to HOPE has taken flight, and the more people who know about our butterfly campaign, the more hope can find its way into the lives of grieving children," said Vorsheck.

For more information about how to become involved in the "Holding on to HOPE" campaign, visit www.highmarkcaringplace.com and click on the Children's Grief Awareness Day tab.

The Highmark Caring Place provides peer support groups, referral services, adult telephone support and educational programs and resources for grieving children and families in four Pennsylvania facilities. For those in need of grief support materials who live outside Pennsylvania, a variety of online tools and materials are available free of charge.

The Caring Place is a signature partner of Highmark Healthy High 5, an initiative of the Highmark Foundation. In addition, the Caring Place is supported by community contributions. For more information, call 1-866-212-HOPE (4673).

SOURCE Highmark Caring Place