7/15/2016 Home Nursing Agency’s Healing Patch: A Program for Loss and Hope for Grieving Children and Their Families was gratefully selected as the focus for Children’s Books for Charity this year. A philanthropic project of Richland High School teacher Melissa Vello, Children’s Books for Charity encourages young adults to use their talents to participate in community service through literacy and exposes them to new genres of writing.

Vello and Zachary Maser, recent graduate of Richland High School and former member of Vello’s Writing Children's Literature Class, recently presented approximately 70 copies of their book Out of the Woods, to representatives from the Healing Patch. Current and future participants in the program will receive a copy of the book, written especially for them. 

The class shared in a note, "Out of the Woods is a lovely tale of adventure and discovery, the journey to find where our lovely little forest friends truly belong! We chose the Healing Patch because we are inspired by every single child who is on their journey toward healing. We would be honored to help you in your quest for healing through support and compassion. Creating this story is a small task compared to what your organization does to help children and their families." 

The group also shared of the collaborative effort to produce the book, with teams delegated to writing, illustration and digital editing. While each team had its own roles, all students worked together to create this personalized book specifically for the children who come to the Healing Patch. In addition to the printed supplies, the book will also be available free online as an ibook in the future. 

“This process took six months and a great deal of creativity and determination, but it was well worth every minute,” class members shared.

Home Nursing Agency’s Healing Patch is a free peer support program designed specifically for children and their families who have suffered the loss of a loved one, such as a parent, sibling, grandparent, or close family member. The Healing Patch offers a safe environment where grieving children and their families can discover they are not alone in their grief by interacting with others who have encountered similar losses. By sharing memories and experiences, families discover that what they are going through is normal and that hope and healing are possible.