Fox Valley Hands of Hope welcomes Gabriela (Gaby) Alcantara to our staff team as Director of Spanish Language Grief Services. Gaby is a Licensed Social Worker (LSW) and recent graduate of Aurora University with a Masters of Social Work degree. Gaby brings a commitment to collaboration, a concern for the Hispanic community, a growing awareness […]
January 28, 2022 Remarks by Jonathan Shively, Executive Director, Fox Valley Hands of Hope Many of us are feeling overwhelmed with sorrow and sadness. Loss under the best of circumstances, surrounded by all the most generous, patient, and purposeful supports is hard. But the pandemic has wrenched many of those supports away, while death continues […]
The FVHH staff is delighted to introduce our new intern for the 2021-2022 school year, Gaby Alcantara. After graduating with a bachelor’s degree in social work in May, Gaby is now working towards her MSW at Aurora University with a specialization in healthcare social work. She comes to us with previous experience supporting children and […]
Grief is a difficult beast. Grieving individuals are often asked to express what they are feeling or thinking, so that the people around them can understand how best to support them. In times of immense sorrow, it can be challenging to communicate anything other than “sad,” because grief encompasses so many more emotions than that […]
Please join the FVHH Board and staff in welcoming our new Executive Director, Jonathan Shively! The FVHH Board has chosen Jonathan because they see him as a truly caring leader, learner, and listener, whose personal experiences have provided him with great perspective for this role. Jonathan delivers an extensive background in organizational leadership, development, and […]
Today we are celebrating 40 years of of service in the community! Fox Valley Hands of Hope has come a long way since its early beginnings in the basement of a church back in 1981. First known as Fox Valley Hospice, then Fox Valley Volunteer Hospice, and now Fox Valley Hands of Hope, the agency […]
FVHH has started the new year off by welcoming Youth and Family Grief Counselor, Jacquelyn Jennings, MSW! Jacquelyn brings with her a wealth of knowledge from her academic endeavors at Aurora University. When asked what encouraged her to join Fox Valley Hands of Hope and work for the mission, Jacquelyn remarked, “Working with those who […]
Fox Valley Hands of Hope (FVHH) continues to provide compassionate guidance and support for the grieving at no cost to the community. In the time of COVID-19, when grief seems relentless, we understand that our community needs us now more than ever. That is why it has been the main focus of the agency to […]
Dear grieving parents, I have always admired you. Grieving while parenting means your days are filled with waves of sorrow, moments of unexpected joy and endless other emotions that sneak up on you out of nowhere, all while care giving for humans who depend on you. You take it day by day, moment by moment, […]
I was blessed to have a mom who showed unconditional love. You know, one of those rare (and feisty) birds. And I fully realize that not everyone is as fortunate – yet, we all seem to follow some form of our mom’s guidance. “Babe” stayed home with me and my older twin brothers, didn’t drive […]
Written by: Pamela Bills, LPC Many grieving people with whom I have spoken recently have expressed that during this time of pandemic, they feel as if their own grief and loss have been minimized. When others minimize our feelings, or when we ourselves do so, it can be a natural tendency to “shove it down.” […]
Written by: Jill Thorson, LCSW One of my favorite activities to do with grieving youth begins with an old classic, Play-Doh. I give them a small piece of the Play-Doh and explain the rules: in 60 seconds, it has to look different. Some jump right in. They tear and roll pieces, crafting something elaborate. Others […]
Written by, Cynthia Victor of Fox Valley Food for Health There is a common tradition you see in every community after the death of a loved one: the outpouring of compassion for the family – the tradition of feeding those left behind. The gift of food is a way of saying we care, we are […]
