A Beacon of Hope
The Lighthouse Project: A beacon of hope during times of grief
By Crystal Sands
During times of grief, we all need support. For those living in the greater Bangor area experiencing grief after the loss of a loved one, The Lighthouse Project offers both support and hope. The Lighthouse Project was established in 2024 and provides peer-facilitated groups for individuals experiencing grief after the loss of a loved one.
Misty FitzGerald, Katie Beaulieu, and Kimberly Jewell are the founders of The Lighthouse Project. All three experienced the loss of their fathers between the ages of 8 and 9. As adults, they met through a program called Pathfinders, which helped those experiencing grief after a tragic loss.
According to Beaulieu, the Pathfinders program “supported grieving children by offering a safe environment where children, teens, and their caregivers utilize peer support and grief education to creatively express, share, and grow through the healing process.”
Over the years, the Pathfinders program offered hope to thousands of families. Beaulieu said the program “helped her 8-year-old self begin to understand and to heal” from the devastating loss of her father.
Beaulieu eventually became a facilitator for Pathfinders, where she met FitzGerald and Jewell, who also worked as facilitators. But after the pandemic and the passing of program coordinator Linda Boyle, the program dissolved.
In 2024, FitzGerald, Beaulieu, and Jewell decided to honor Boyle, their mentor, and start a program here in the Bangor area to help children and families who have experienced tragic loss, as they did when they were young.
“This is where The Lighthouse Project began,” said the founders. “It was a whisper of a dream and has now become a beautiful reality that we are so proud of.”
Today, the founders are working to spread the word about this important service in our community. With little grief support offered in the Bangor area, The Lighthouse Project is already helping families heal. To date, they have served 15 families in our community, but as word spreads of these services, they are expecting the numbers to rise — perhaps serving even more families than the Pathfinders program did.
At The Lighthouse Project, each group is led by a pair of trained volunteers. Children are placed into groups based on age, and adults are placed in groups based on the type of loss they have experienced. During the group, facilitators explore the many aspects of grief. They also use a wide variety of activities to help express the spectrum of emotions that come up while grieving.
If you or someone you know are interested in the program, there is a sign-up form on The Lighthouse Project website at thelighthouseprojectgroup.org. Sign ups are accepted year-round, and the program currently offers two eight-week sessions each year — one in the fall and one in the spring. Sessions are currently held in a local church, but the founders hope the program grows enough to eventually have their own space and offer additional services.
FitzGerald, Beaulieu, and Jewell want to emphasize that there is support for families in our area who have experienced loss. They now work hard to help others through difficult times they understand so well.
“Navigating loss is scary and painful and having a safe space to be able to discuss and process the complex emotions that arise is so important for healing.”
For more information, visit thelighthouseprojectgroup.org.
