“Not all growth takes place in the light.”
— Rosemerry Wahtola Trommer, Mycelia
For nearly a decade, Evermore’s work to reshape how America responds to bereavement has taken place in that unseen space — quietly, persistently, and without the resources most organizations rely on. Yet, like the vast root-networks Rosemerry describes, our underground efforts have prepared the ground for something long needed: national, structural change.
This year, that work broke the surface, marking a historic turning point — for Evermore and for millions of bereaved people. In 2025, Evermore achieved ten major wins:
- Authored the U.S. government’s first Community Bereavement Response Guide for Child Fatalities, offering clear guidance to strengthen their local bereavement responses.
- Championed the U.S. government’s first rigorous review of 12,000+ bereavement studies, revealing that today’s psychosocial support needs to be far better.
- Launched the Lived Experience Bereavement Research Network, reconceiving how psychological and medical bereavement care is offered after loss, in partnership with some of the nation’s most distinguished grief leaders.
- Advised the Social Security Administration’s first report on orphanhood benefits, exposing the systematic gaps and outlining solutions to ensure the $15 billion owed to orphans reaches them.
- Informed the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration on its first grief and bereavement fact sheets and website.
- Taught dozens of community leaders across the country on how to respond effectively and compassionately to child fatalities.
- Hosted our third Love is for Evermore benefit concert and launched our first national remembrance event, welcoming hundreds.
- Led grief-informed art classes for bereaved high school students navigating profound loss and hardship.
- Expanded public engagement through newsletters, art programs, and leadership development, reaching thousands within our community.
- Enhanced internal infrastructure and board governance, preparing the organization to grow aggressively and successfully.
Historic Wins, and Yet We Can’t Share Our Work
Despite these historic wins, we faced difficult choices in 2025. In July, we had to pause all public communications efforts because we simply did not have the resources to maintain them. This year, we are raising $50,000 to return to the airwaves — to share our work, educate the public, elevate families’ stories, and reach new supporters.
Will you consider making a donation to Evermore this holiday season?
Your investment will allow us to:
- Restore our communications capacity and share our achievements,
- Increase national awareness of the importance of systemic change for bereaved people,
- Create new resources, elevate your stories, advance high-quality science, and advocate for meaningful, commonsense policy changes, and
- Lay the groundwork for a national movement transforming our nation’s responses to loss.
Together, we will continue to grow and break new ground, ensuring compassionate, dignified, and respectful care for all bereaved people. — but this time, we hope, in the light. And with your support, we will be able to share Rosemerry — Evermore’s first poet laureate, with so many more people.
Please consider making a donation today. So many people are relying on us to make the world a more livable place for all bereaved people. 2026 holds so much more, and I can’t wait to share what’s in the works!
Thank you for your encouragement, support, and the opportunity to lead this change.
With love,
Founder & Executive Director, Evermore