From Our Founding Families: Meet Pickles Group
Dear friends, family and supporters,
We are thrilled to introduce you to something really special that we have been busy developing for some time: Pickles Group!
Pickles is a new nonprofit organization dedicated to helping kids with a parent or a guardian who has cancer. How? By creating thriving communities of kids supporting kids through their parents’ cancer journeys.
Pickles grew organically out of our own experiences as three families with a cancer diagnosis. (You can read our individual stories here.) Each of our families saw our kids struggling with loneliness and isolation. They would say things like, ‘I just wish I had more people who understood me.’
We decided to get our kids together. We found an extraordinary therapist who was also a Child Life Specialist, trained to help children cope with family illness. But our kids did much more than cope -- they thrived. They laughed, they built trust, they grew more resilient. They found joy, excitement, and healing.
It was magic and that magic multiplied week after week, as our kids developed special bonds with one another. Surrounded by other kids who understood them, they were free to be themselves. Before long, they wanted to bring the benefits of Pickles to other kids. We watched them turn their pain into empowerment, and a desire to help others. (Why the name Pickles? Find out here.)
Pickles is launching its first free pilot program this fall in Chicago’s North Shore, with plans to expand throughout Chicagoland and beyond. Our experienced staff will train skilled volunteers to lead groups of kids to talk, connect, share their journeys, and most of all, have fun! You can read more about the program here.
Having a parent or guardian with cancer can be a lonely, isolating experience. Pickles Group creates thriving communities of kids supporting kids through their parents’ cancer journeys. Pickles kids develop resilience, have fun with friends who get them, and heal along the way.
We can’t imagine going through our cancer journeys without our kids having peer support. We want to give that gift to as many kids as we can, and we invite you to help Pickles along the way.
If you’d like to learn more about Pickles, sign up here to get our newsletter.
Follow us on social media where we will be sharing more about Pickles this week and in the future.
Contribute here to become a founding donor and help Pickles reach kids across Chicago (and beyond). We'll recognize you on our website and more!
If you know a family that might be interested, or a school, church, synagogue, or community group that might want to let folks know about Pickles, forward this email or send them here to learn about the program.
Don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re excited beyond words to bring Pickles to more kids and we welcome your questions, curiosity, ideas, and support!
With love and gratitude,
The Agnew, Smith and Hlavacek Families
