MISS Foundation — Free Peer Support for Bereaved Parents
The MISS Foundation is an international nonprofit providing peer support to families grieving the death of a child — at any age, from any cause. Founded by Dr. Joanne Cacciatore (herself a bereaved mother) in 1996, MISS combines local in-person support groups, weekly online support meetings, an active member forum, MISS Foundation chapters across the country, the annual MISS Foundation Conference, and the deep peer community of bereaved parents that has been the Foundation’s core for nearly three decades.
What to Expect
MISS Foundation peer support groups meet weekly online — free and open to bereaved parents, grandparents, siblings, and other family members. Local in-person chapters host their own monthly gatherings, memorial events, and community-building activities. The Foundation’s online forum lets members connect 24/7 with others walking the same road. MISS also runs the annual MISS Foundation Conference, a multi-day gathering of bereaved families that members often describe as transformative — and the Selah Carefarm, a residential bereavement program in Sedona, Arizona for families needing immersive care.
Who This Group Is For
MISS Foundation serves families bereaved by the death of a child at any age — pregnancy loss, stillbirth, infant death (SIDS, SUID, medical conditions), childhood illness or accident, adolescent death, young adult death, and the death of adult children. Members include mothers, fathers, grandparents, siblings, aunts/uncles, and other family members. The Foundation explicitly welcomes families across cultural, religious, and economic backgrounds, recognizing that bereavement after a child’s death cuts across every demographic.
Why Peer Support Works
Bereaved parents consistently describe the particular isolation of child loss — friends and family often don’t know what to say, return-to-normal pressure can come quickly, and the depth of the grief outlasts what others around can hold. MISS Foundation’s peer community answers that directly: bereaved families together, with no time limit on how long the grief is real. Members often describe their MISS group as the only place they can talk about their child without watching others get uncomfortable.
How to Join
MISS Foundation programs are free. Visit missfoundation.org to register for weekly online support meetings, find a local chapter, join the member forum, learn about the annual Conference and Selah Carefarm, and connect with the broader bereaved family community. The Foundation also provides resources for clinicians and educators working with bereaved families.