Grief Center celebrates fifth anniversary

To celebrate its fifth anniversary on April 24, Brighter Days Family Grief Center aims to raise $50,000 in five days.

Carolyn Kinzel, the founder and executive director of the center, invites people to stop by its new Eden Prairie location, 15764 Venture Lane, to drop off gift cards, sports game tickets, cash or checks to support its signature program, Embrace-A-Family. 

This program promotes community involvement by helping Brighter Days provide financial assistance and special gifts to grieving children, adults and families.   

In its first five years, Brighter Days has served over 6,000 people through in-person and virtual community support offering free resources, programs and events tailored for each family member. 

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Its fundraising goal of $50,000 is a celebratory way to mark its anniversary while also raising funds to continue its work as an anchor of hope in the state. 

An anonymous donor has offered a $30,000 match to help the center reach its goal. 

“These incredible donations remind us how important our work is to the grieving community,” she said. “We simply cannot do this alone, and knowing we can rely on the generosity of others means everything to us and to the families we serve.”  

The community can visit Brighter Days in Eden Prairie between 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, April 29. 

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Visitors are welcome to write a note to families and place the name of a lost family member on their wall to keep their memory alive. Online donations are welcomed for anyone who cannot get to the center.

The Minnesota nonprofit organization provides free in-person and virtual resources for children, adults, and families grieving the death or terminal diagnosis of a family member. It also offers free grief support, youth and young adult programs, and special family events to support healing.