SPOTLIGHT:
Philanthopy
Healing After Tragedy Tuesday’s Children’s Long-Term Healing Model Brings Best Practices to Communities Around the World.
This resource is being made available through a new online platform (Tuesdays ChildrenHeals.org) featuring free training modules, historical data and resources. With over 73,000 global terrorist incidents causing more than 170,000 deaths since 2000, and mass shootings occurring nine out of every 10 days in the U.S., the need
Written by By Sallie Lynch, MA Senior Program & Development Consultant, Tuesday’s Children
for long-term support in the wake of these events has never been more apparent. The Long-Term Healing Model highlights Tuesday’s Children’s adaptive approach
AFTER AN ACT OF TERROR, a mass
to build a nurturing community for
shooting or the loss of a beloved
those impacted by traumatic losses
military service member, there is
by connecting them with others who
usually an immediate response by
can understand their experiences and
friends, family and the community
offering evidence-based programs
to help those impacted. That help
that can assist. The organization sees
can come in the form of donations,
it as a moral obligation to share what
offers to provide a variety of ser-
has been learned from assisting other
vices, household assistance such
communities in the years after some of
as cooking of meals, emotional
the largest traumatic events of recent
support through vigils or remem-
history. “Incidents of terrorism and
brance events or any number of other
mass violence have a lifelong impact,
things. While this type of support is
particularly on families and children,
much needed and has great value,
and we have seen firsthand the need
often the long-term needs of those
for long-term support services for
who experienced the traumatic loss
those impacted by traumatic loss,”
are forgotten. This is where the work
said Terry Sears, executive director of
of Tuesday’s Children begins.
Tuesday’s Children. “We encourage
Tuesday’s Children is the leading
policymakers, funders and the public
nonprofit organization providing
to get behind that need.”
long-term support to communities and
18
Tuesday’s Children has an innova-
people around the world impacted by terror-
Tuesday’s Children’s proven Long-Term
tive platform of programs that have been
ism and traumatic loss. The organization was
Healing Model is one of the ways in which
developed in partnership with recognized
originally founded to help those impacted by
the organization helps communities with
leaders in the fields of child development,
the events of Tuesday, September 11, 2001,
the long-term needs of those who have
family advocacy, crisis counseling and
and has since expanded to provide services to
experienced traumatic loss. The Model is
mentoring. These programs address the
individuals, families and communities, includ-
a compilation of best practices and lessons
needs of families at all stages of recovery
ing Parkland, Las Vegas, Orlando, Newtown
learned that serve as: a training curriculum
from trauma and loss. The organization’s
and many others, torn apart by tragedies.
for local and global policymakers, service
hope is that the Long-Term Healing Model
The organization also provides support and
providers, community leaders, individuals
will serve as a valuable resource to providers
programs for families of the fallen men and
and volunteers; and a resource guide and
and communities and also show policy-
women who served post-9/11. Tuesday’s Chil-
interactive online toolkit for community-
makers there is a great need for long-term
dren has served more than 15,000 individuals
based engagement and services to
support services after mass-scale tragedies.
in 48 states and 28 countries around the world.
traumatized and bereaved communities.
Through the Long-Term Healing Model,
CONTEMPORARY CULTURE//MAGAZINE
