Bereaved Families of Ontario Kingston Region

11/20/2025

The third Thursday in November is . Did you know that 1 in 14 children will lose a parent or sibling before the age of 18? Help bring awareness to this grief that is often overlooked by wearing blue today. If there is a grieving child in your life, there is support available. Ask them about their grief and about their person!

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11/20/2025

Tomorrow is🏳️‍⚧️Transgender Day of Remembrance 🕯️ and there will be a vigil to commemorate the day and remember those who have died in the past year due to anti-trans violence. Details are shared below; the Kingston vigil will take place at KFPL Central Branch (130 Johnson St) from 6-8pm on November 20th.

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11/17/2025

Tomorrow is BFO-Kingston's special event for National Grief & Bereavement Day. Please send a photo of those you are grieving to director@bfo-kingston.ca to be included in a memorial slideshow during the event. Can't make it to the actual event? You can still email a photo of your person! Please send your photo by 9pm tonight (November 17th); photos received after this time may not appear in the slideshow.

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11/14/2025

Hear Lisa talk about the upcoming event for National Grief and Bereavement Day:
https://www.kingstondaily.ca/news/features/whats-good-in-kingston-national-grief-and-bereavement-day/ 🕯
And don't forget to RSVP to the event: http://bit.ly/3Wrx7PV


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Bereaved Families of Ontario are marking the occasion with invaluable resources.

11/12/2025

Thank you to Youth Diversion for the opportunity to speak with their audience about the impact of grief on young people! Join us on November 25th.

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Please join us to better understand Grief and Compassionate Ways to Cope as presented by Lisa Cassidy, executive director of Bereaved Families of Ontario Kingston Region This workshop will highlight various types and symptoms of grief, its impact (particularly on young people) and key strategies. All proceeds will be donated to the United Way Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington

11/11/2025

On Remembrance Day, we honour those who died while serving our country.

Poppies for Remembrance

Scarlet poppies can flutter
like fragile butterflies
in the dry yellow corn
of summer.

And they can dance
like graceful ballerinas
among the feathery stalks
of barley

Red poppies can glow
like bright little lamps
on our warm winter coats
in November.

And they can whisper,
like long-lost voices
from the forgotten fields
of Flanders.

©️Moira Andrew

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[Image Description: red poppies on the sides with the poem in black text.]

11/10/2025

NATIONAL GRIEF AND BEREAVEMENT DAY with BFO-Kingston

On November 18th, join us in the Auditorium at 1200 Princess St. (Providence Village) when doors open at 6pm. The program starts at 6:30pm with guest speaker Tamara Spearing from . Light refreshments and sandwiches will be served. Memorial activities will be available throughout the evening.

Starting at 7:30pm, choose from a variety of grief groups, learning topics and self-care strategies:
🕯 Coping with Milestones and Holidays (facilitated by McKenzie from Providence Care Hospice)
🕯 Grief Rituals - The Power of Remembering and Reconnecting (facilitated by Anne from Yellow Pebbles)
🕯 Grieving in the 2SLGBTQIA+ Community (BFO-Kingston peer grief support group)
🕯 Living and Dying with Dementia (facilitated by Jan from Société Alzheimer Society of Kingston, Frontenac, Lennox & Addington)
🕯 Living with Loss (hybrid BFO-Kingston peer grief support group)
🕯 Sound Bath (facilitated by Laura from Expressions For The Soul)



Register now at http://bit.ly/3Wrx7PV

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11/08/2025

Thank you to the 12,000+ Indigenous veterans who served and have been too often overlooked.

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November 8th is National Indigenous Veterans Day, a day of remembrance and commemoration of the contributions of Indigenous veterans. It is a day to pay tribute to the First Nations, Métis and Inuit peoples who have served Canada in times of war and peace for more than 200 years, from the War of 1812 to both World Wars to Korea, to modern conflicts, and who continue to serve. It is also a moment to acknowledge the historical injustices many faced during and after their military service.

While exact numbers are elusive, it has been estimated that more than 12,000 First Nations, Métis and Inuit people served in the great conflicts of the 20th century.

These determined volunteers were often forced to overcome many challenges to serve in uniform, from learning a new language and adapting to cultural differences, to having to travel great distances from their remote communities just to enlist. The challenges they faced often extended to their post-service life. Many Indigenous war Veterans would not receive equal treatment compared to other Canadian Veterans.

Miigwech to all who served, and who continue to serve, for their brave contributions.

Learn more here: https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/people-and-stories/indigenous-veterans

11/07/2025

Come on out to the Older Adults Fair happening right now (Nov 7th) at Rideau Heights Community Centre. The building is full of great community service providers!

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11/01/2025

BFO-Kingston offers peer grief support to those who have experienced the death of someone important in their life. Support is provided virtually or in-person. If you are interested in one-to-one support or in attending a peer support group, please contact the office by calling 613-634-1230, emailing bfo@kingston.net or sending us a direct message.

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10/31/2025

🕯 Join BFO-Kingston on November 18, 2025 for National Grief & Bereavement Day. Doors open at 6pm, program starts at 6:30pm. Come hear guest speaker Tamara Spearing from the Gwen Effect Podcast, participate in memorial activities, learning topics and optional grief groups. 🕯
RSVP at http://bit.ly/3Wrx7PV

Please send a photo of those you are grieving to director@bfo-kingston.ca to be included in a memorial slideshow during the event. Can't make it? You can still email a photo of your person!

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