How The Sharing Place brings the light of hope to Utah families

When children lose a parent, it can have a devastating effect. It’s also something that happens more commonly than you might think in the state of Utah. According to statistics, about 1 in 16 Utah children lose a parent before age 18.

First Utah Bank is putting the spotlight on one of the non-profit groups with which we work: The Sharing Place. It is their mission to support families that are going through times of grief, including making support groups accessible to those who need it.

The need for a group like The Sharing Place is clear. According to the group, there are more than 100 families who need their help on a waiting list at any given time.

Helping families when they need it the most

On its website, The Sharing Place outlines its mission, which it to “provide a safe and caring environment for grieving children, teens, and their families to share their feelings while healing themselves.”

The group’s services are for children ages 3 to 18 as well as the surviving parent or relative.

Children who use The Sharing Place’s services are placed in a group to best meet their individual needs, according to the organization’s website. The support groups are not only organized by age but also by specific situations.

Once in those support groups, children at The Sharing Place utilize discussion, art and play to be able to express any feelings about grief and also to connect with others who are experiencing the same emotions related to the loss of a parent. Parents meet separately in groups that are designed more for their individual needs.

How The Sharing Place began its mission

It was 1993 when The Sharing Place began in the Salt Lake City area. It was started by Chris Chytraus, a mother who realized that there was a lack of resources to address grief in children in Utah after the father of her two children passed away. Along with input from Chytraus’ children’s therapist, Nancy Reiser, the support groups that are now the foundation of The Sharing Place were created.

The group has also expanded to try to help as many families as it can. The organization partners with schools and community agencies around the state to share information with students and families about how to address grief. They also host groups in Taylorsville and Mount Jordan Middle School in order to reach more families.

The pandemic also hasn’t stopped The Sharing Place from fulfilling its mission. It instituted virtual group sessions during the shelter-in-place orders and has been taking family consultation appointments with safety measures in place, as well as communicating via calls and email as needed. The organization plans to resume in-person groups in the fall if that is possible, but could also return to virtual sessions if needed.

Taking a big event to the virtual world

The seamless services that The Sharing Place is providing do need funding help, though, as well as volunteers. One way the group has raised money every year for the past seven years is a fundraiser around Halloween, titled the Day of the Dead. This year is no different, although there is an online twist to the event.

The 8th Annual Day of the Dead will take place from the group’s website on Oct. 24. It features an online auction, cooking tutorials, remembrance ceremonies, stories from families and a “party in a box” kit, so you can bring some festivity to your home as you watch it. The kits can even be delivered to those who sign up, if they live in the Wasatch Front area from Ogden to Provo.

“The event is responsible for a significant portion of revenue to sustain our grief support groups,” says John Gold, Executive Director for The Sharing Place.

To find out more about the event, go to The Sharing Place’s website and its News and Events section.

Ways that First Utah Bank serves its community

Our support of groups such as The Sharing Place are an important part of our role as a community leader, and it has been a focal point since we began in Salt Lake City in 1978.

Including our support of non-profit groups, branches of First Utah Bank also participate in fundraisers, food drives and other community projects. Among the initiatives we support are helping residents find housing and helping families find access to affordable and healthy food options.

We also encourage our employees to become volunteers in the community for causes that are close to their hearts. Some of our employees also volunteer their time as guest speakers for local community groups, talking about the financial world and how to navigate it.

It’s all a part of our commitment to be a true “community bank,” helping not only our own customers but those who are struggling and could use a hand to better their lives. To find out more about us, go to the First Utah Bank website.