Pennsylvania nonprofit helps kids cope with grief through free art therapy
CHESTER, Pa. (CBS) — A Delaware County nonprofit is helping children who are mourning the loss of a loved one.
The Will Trippley Foundation offers free art sessions every month to teach children coping skills. About 100 children have taken art therapy through the nonprofit, which supports children on their journey through grief.
Chichester High School student Sarah Walls, 16, lost her dad and brother just months apart in 2021 due to accidental drug overdoses.
"When I found out, I was broken," Sarah said. "But it was during summer for my brother and that was extremely, extremely hard for me. Because he was everything to me."
Life has never been the same, but painting is healing. Through guided art activities led by an instructor, children are encouraged to express their thoughts and feelings in a tangible way.
"When it comes to death of a loved one, children are forgotten about," Pat Trippley-Demiranda, CEO and co-founder of the Will Trippley Foundation, said.
Trippley-Demiranda named the nonprofit after her son, who was shot and killed in Chester in 2004. She said she created the art program after seeing the toll her son's death took on his sister.
"I knew that if my daughter was filled up with pain, then there's somebody else's child that's out there that needs some love and comforting, just somebody to talk to," Trippley-Demiranda said.
Art helps the kids take their mind off their loss. Sarah's mom Cathy Walls said the program has had a huge impact.
"From coming to this program, she's grown a lot," Walls said.
Art allows Sarah to communicate her feelings without the need for words. She knows she's not alone as she sits with other children going through a similar experience.
"It's helped me grieve," Sarah said. "It's helped me learn how to cope better and just a really great place."
She's building resilience and hope while carrying the memory of her loved ones.
The Will Trippley Foundation also offers free mental health counseling every month for grieving children.