A $19,000 grant from The Summit Foundation will help Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss, expand its free peer grief support groups for children and families across the Summit area.

The grant, announced Tuesday, July 28, funds the Mountainside-based nonprofit's bi-weekly support groups for children ages 3–18, young adults 19–30, and their caregivers. Every group is free. No insurance is required, and families can attend as long as they need.

"For Imagine to continue to grow and widen the circle of support for families who need us, we need partnerships in the communities we serve," said Lindsay Schambach, Imagine's executive director. "The Summit Foundation has been instrumental in Imagine's ability to continually grow to meet the needs of the 151,000 NJ youth who may lose a parent or sibling before the age of 18."

That 151,000 figure comes from the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model. The funding helps ensure no family is turned away because of cost, according to the organization.

When families first call Imagine, staff said, the first question is often about insurance or fees. Being able to tell a parent the groups cost nothing brings immediate relief, according to the organization.

Imagine, founded in 2011, currently serves more than 600 participants from 87 New Jersey towns every two weeks, according to its website. Groups are offered in both English and Spanish. Participants share stories and take part in memory-sharing activities; many stay connected for years.

The Summit Foundation, active since 1972, has invested more than $10 million in the Summit-area community over the past decade through grants, scholarships, and donor-advised funds. Its recent grantmaking has also supported Summit Speech School, SAGE Eldercare, and the Mabie Playground transformation.

Families interested in joining a support group can contact Imagine at 908-264-3100, [email protected], or at imaginenj.org. The center is located at 244 Sheffield Street in Mountainside.