Helping children cope with grief.
About Us
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the Safe Crossings Foundation?
Safe Crossings Foundation is a public charitable foundation with I.R.C. 501(c)(3) status, dedicated to funding and otherwise supporting “services, resources and activities for children dealing with end-of-life issues, including anticipatory grief counseling, bereavement support, education, advocacy, and research.”
2. When and why was the Safe Crossings Foundation established?
The Foundation (formerly known as the “McMullin Robertson Foundation”) was created in 1989 as a memorial to two Seattle attorneys who died from cancer within a short time of each other, Ken McMullin and Bill Robertson. Each left behind a family, between them, six children ages six months to seventeen years. As the families of Ken and Bill began the long process of grieving, they realized that no comprehensive grief support program existed in King County for children facing the death of a parent or other loved one. They decided that a fitting memorial to these two fathers would be the creation of a program that would provide anticipatory grief and bereavement counseling, free of charge, to children in King County who were struggling with the potentially-devastating emotional challenges of a loved one’s terminal illness and death. With generous support from Ken and Bill’s colleagues at Williams Kastner & Gibbs, and other family members and friends, the Safe Crossings Foundation was established.
3. How does the Safe Crossings Foundation fulfill its mission?
To help fulfill our mission, we collaborated in 1990 with Providence Hospice of Seattle to create the Safe Crossings Program, a grief counseling program that serves families in the greater King County community. The Safe Crossings Foundation continues provide the primary funding for the Safe Crossings Program.
4. What is the Safe Crossings Program?
The Safe Crossings Program is a bereavement counseling service that has been specially created to help children prepare for the death of someone they love, and to offer ongoing support after the death occurs. Three professional bereavement counselors provide Safe Crossings Program services, which include:
- One-on-one anticipatory grief counseling to children facing the devastating loss of a loved one through home visits;
- Bereavement services after the loved one has died (one-on-one and in groups, including groups conducted at schools);
- Written information including educational grief materials for parents, teens and children;
- Camp Erin/King County, a summer weekend grief camp for kids; and
- Timely crisis response to schools, parents, and educators in our community when a death impacts a student population.
All services provided by the Safe Crossings Program are offered at no charge. For more information about Safe Crossings Program services, please call 206/320-4000.
5. What is the relationship between the Safe Crossings Foundation and the Safe Crossings Program?
The Safe Crossings Foundation is provides the primary funding for the Safe Crossings Program. The Safe Crossings Program is managed and operated by Providence Hospice of Seattle. The Safe Crossings Program counselors are employees of the Providence Hospice of Seattle, but collaborate closely with the Safe Crossings Foundation on program direction, resource allocation, and raising public awareness of the need for grief counseling for children.
6. How can I get involved or help the Safe Crossings Foundation fund grief counseling for kids?
The Safe Crossings Foundation relies solely upon charitable gifts from the community to fund the grief counseling services provided by the Safe Crossings Program. Volunteer opportunities with Safe Crossings Foundation include becoming a Board Member, participating in Safe Crossings Program activities, and helping with fund-raising special events.
To find out more, please call us at 206-652-4723.