Family Lives On Foundation supports the lifelong emotional well-being of children children ages 3-18 whose mother or father has died by helping them continue cherished family traditions. The Tradition Program provides opportunities for intentional remembering, creating a safe haven for grief, communication and celebration.
Family Lives On staff have 3 – 6 therapeutic touch points with every family, the first when they enroll. At this session, a Family Service Coordinator and trained volunteer conduct a “Family Meeting” with the children and surviving parent or guardian to discuss traditions that the child shared with his or her deceased parent. This process not only conveys to the family the value of remembering, but also helps the child/teen to choose a tradition that he/she wants to continue. Family Lives On then arranges, pays for, and ships the items identified within the tradition request directly to the child on an annual basis for a period of 5 years or until he or she turns 18.
Celebrating a unique experience the child had with their deceased parent, is a powerful holistic therapy that focuses on maintaining necessary emotional bonds with mom or dad, helping them move forward into the future.
Tanna Wagner, the Development Manager at Family Lives On Foundation, will explain the entire program for us. Tanna and her husband, Erik, live in Douglassville, PA. They have two grown children – Andrew and his wife, Taylor, who live in Wyomissing, PA; and their daughter, Allie, who lives in Annapolis, MD. Tanna enjoys good food, practices yoga, enjoys walking, biking, hiking, kayaking, reading, and spending time with family and friends.