IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 426 

Expressing support for the designation of the Thursday before Thanksgiving 

as ‘‘Children’s Grief Awareness Day’’. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

NOVEMBER 21, 2013 

Mr. DOYLE submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Education and the Workforce 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing support for the designation of the Thursday 

before Thanksgiving as ‘‘Children’s Grief Awareness Day’’. 

Whereas 1 in 5 children in the United States will experience 

the death of someone close to them by age 18, and 

1,900,000 youngsters under age 18 have lost one or both 

parents; 

Whereas children who have had a loved one die, especially a 

close family member, can carry that loss within them forever, and it sometimes causes confusion in the mind of 

a young person about why their loved one was taken 

away; 

Whereas the great majority of grieving children feel alone, 

not understood, and fearful, on top of their feelings of 

grief, leading in many cases to an inability to manage or 

even face their grief; 


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•HRES 426 IH 

Whereas many adults and other children erroneously believe 

that grieving children are resilient enough that they ‘‘just 

get over’’ their grief, so much so that children have often 

been called ‘‘forgotten mourners’’; 

Whereas for many grieving children the most helpful reaction 

they can receive is an acknowledgment of their feelings, 

a listening ear, and the support of caring individuals, like 

family, friends, or others also grieving a loss; 

Whereas ‘‘Children’s Grief Awareness Day’’ began through 

grassroots efforts in 2008 in order to help others understand the impact of death on children and their need for 

support, and to provide ways for caring adults and young 

people to show their support and solidarity for grieving 

children; 

Whereas ‘‘Children’s Grief Awareness Day’’ is observed every 

year on the Thursday before Thanksgiving, immediately 

preceding the winter holidays which can be a particularly 

difficult time for grieving children; 

Whereas simple ways to participate are to engage in activities 

that raise the awareness of the needs of grieving children 

and to encourage as many people as possible to wear blue 

on that day as a symbol of support for these children; 

Whereas this year, on November 21, 2013, and on November 

20, 2014, thousands of children and adults from all 

walks of life from across the United States will join together to show their support for grieving children by participating in ‘‘Children’s Grief Awareness Day’’; and 

Whereas the Thursday before Thanksgiving would be an appropriate day to designate as ‘‘Children’s Grief Awareness Day’’ to help the public understand the devastating 


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•HRES 426 IH 

impact of the death of a loved one on a child, and of the 

child’s need for support: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the designation of ‘‘Children’s 

3 Grief Awareness Day’’ to raise awareness of and 

4 support for grieving children; 

5 (2) recognizes the hard work that grieving chil6 dren do every day in creating a new life out of the 

7 pieces remaining of their old one; 

8 (3) applauds the thousands of individuals who 

9 volunteer to support grieving children; 

10 (4) salutes the efforts of national, State, and 

11 local organizations for their work on behalf of griev12 ing children, and especially of the tireless efforts put 

13 forth by the multitude of individuals who give of 

14 their time to help these children day after day; and 

15 (5) requests that the President encourage the 

16 Federal Government, States, tribes and tribal orga17 nizations, localities, schools, nonprofit organizations, 

18 businesses, other entities, and the people of the 

19 United States to observe ‘‘Children’s Grief Aware20 ness Day’’ with appropriate programs and activities 

21 with the goal of not forgetting these ‘‘forgotten 

22 mourners’’, and supporting them in their time of 

23 need. 

Æ 


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