FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 8, 2022
Hospice Foundation of the Ozarks
Anjanette LaBellarte-Gilbert, Executive Director
[email protected]
417-861-9543
On Angels’ Wings
Michelle Cramer, Executive Director
[email protected]
417-834-3670
Springfield, Missouri: The Hospice Foundation of the Ozarks (HFO), a Missouri nonprofit organization, is celebrating 25 years of service in the Ozarks. Since 1997, HFO has given more than $1.5 million in grant awards supporting innovative programs that respond to the unmet needs of those requiring hospice, palliative care, advance care planning, grief, and bereavement services. The Foundation has funded a range of grantees making important contributions in critical, yet often overlooked areas of need.
“Death is inevitable,” says Regina Waters, president of HFO. “We recognize that individuals, families, and medical providers may not feel comfortable discussing death or navigating the challenges associated with dying and grief. HFO’s partnerships and initiatives seek to ensure that all individuals have the support and knowledge needed to experience dignity at life’s end.”
As part of the organization’s 25th anniversary celebration, HFO is sponsoring an art gallery exhibition featuring the photography work of On Angels’ Wings, a Missouri nonprofit that seeks to improve the mental health and wellness of families with medically fragile children through free therapeutic photography and grief recovery services. On Angels’ Wings has been a recipient of grant awards from HFO since 2020.
“Hospice Foundation of the Ozarks has become an essential part of the continuing work our organization does to help families faced with the possibility of losing a child within our community,” says Michelle Cramer, founder and executive director of On Angels’ Wings. “We are grateful that HFO recognizes the importance of our mission and helps to make it possible.”
The exhibition, featuring the images taken by On Angels’ Wings for eight recipient families in the Ozarks who have medically fragile children or have lost a child, will be viewable at the Pool Art Center on the Drury University campus in Springfield. The exhibit is open for public viewing on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. The gallery will also be open on Saturday, October 15 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in honor of Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Day.
Additionally, on Friday, October 7, HFO will host a special reception at Pool Art Center during Springfield’s First Friday Art Walk from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., during which Cramer will be speaking on how to handle friends and family members that are grieving with care, a topic she’s spent 15 years observing and 5 years researching, recently publishing a book to that effect.
The 7-week exhibition and one-night reception are free for the entire community to attend during open hours; no reservation is needed. “We look forward to showcasing a more in-depth look at the services we provide,” Cramer says, “and are humbled that HFO values those services enough to sponsor this wonderful exhibition opportunity.”
“We are honored to partner with On Angels’ Wings to recognize the resilience and journeys of families who love and support medically fragile children,” adds Anjanette LaBellarte-Gilbert, HFO executive director. “We look forward to seeing the community at this powerful exhibition.”
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Hospice Foundation of the Ozarks is a Missouri non-profit organization that awards grants to organizations which are involved in end-of-life services and education. The Foundation supports hospice, palliative care, advance directives, grief and bereavement services, educational programs and other activities which nurture informed personal choices and respect for diverse cultural identities in the end-of-life experience. hospiceozarks.org
On Angels’ Wings is a Missouri non-profit organization that seeks to improve the mental health and wellness of families with medically fragile children (regardless of race, ethnicity, class status or orientation) through therapeutic photography and grief recovery services, free of charge. oawphoto.org
