A new year signifies new beginnings…
… what are your new beginnings in 2015?
It might be about new resolutions to take better care of yourself or to heal yourself in some way… or it might be a new business or new way to reach out and help others.
In my case, it’s all of the above.
A Butterfly’s Journey is becoming a non-profit!
When I started ABJ more than a year ago, I simply wanted to earn my living helping others, doing something I was passionate about. However, I’d been convinced to stay away from a nonprofit structure for several reasons by people who’d had bad experiences. I’d already founded a local chapter of an existing nonprofit company, so I started ABJ informally, in an effort to expand on that both with a more individualized approach and a wider geographic area.
I got ABJ started through my book, original music, blogs, interviews, podcasts, videos, articles and virtual support to offer individualized help on a national level. While there has been success, recent research and feedback indicate that with such a difficult topic, I may gain wider acceptance by individuals and organizations, as well as have the ability to offer products and services more affordably with funding assistance.
ABJ has been filed as a non-profit organization, awaiting approval for tax-exempt status to encourage financial assistance to allow us to do bigger and better things for our bereaved families and the organizations that support them.
Threefold mission:
1. To help families struggling with grief after the loss of a child, to find hope and happiness again.
2. To provide supplementary services and resources to organizations, to close the existing gaps in supporting bereaved families.
3. To build awareness in the community around grief after the loss of a child, to diminish the stigma and fear, and to encourage community acceptance, support, and hope.
Some other new beginnings at ABJ:
- Added a new PARTNERS area to the web site for businesses that can provide other useful services to bereaved families, which will expand.
- Building a RESOURCE CENTER (subscription based) which will have many kinds of resources in one place, including helpful books, music, grief organizations, interactive groups, specific types of support (ie: suicide survival), webinars, tele-seminars, information on tools such as meditation, journaling, nutrition and other proven methods. This center will constantly be enhanced and virtual interactive groups will be added.
- Initial photo shoot with DEAR WORLD photojournalist Robert X Fogarty to represent messages on behalf of bereaved parents. Our hope is make this available in multiple cities where bereaved families express their own heartfelt messages in a similar style.
- New collaborative book “FAITH – Finding Answers in the Heart”, Volume II. I am one of 14 female authors. Launching in late April, pre-release orders are available now.
- The audio book version of “A Butterfly’s Journey… Healing Grief After the Loss of a Child” will release soon as well.
- As we get our non-profit approval, ABJ will offer more varied resources to help bereaved families, with the help of grants and tax exempt donations.
This is an exciting new beginning for A Butterfly’s Journey!
Thank you for your guidance and support!
We wish you happy, healthy, healing new beginnings in 2015. Happy New Year!
Supporting the journey to HOPE… 
More information on my web site & contact me at
617-410-6309 or barbara@abutterflysjourney.com
for a complimentary ‘Healing” conversation.
PS Please consider forwarding this info to someone who suffered a traumatic loss.
