Today on “Live In The D”, Tacara Woods, the founder of The M.I.C.H.A.E.L Organization, shared her heartfelt story about the importance to care for victims of homicide loss. The lack of resources available for Tacara after suffering her own loss, inspired her to found the non-profit organization.
The M.I.C.H.A.E.L Organization stands for: Miracles to Inspire Change and Healing After Experiencing Loss. The focus of the organization is to help and assist healing children who have experienced a loss due to gun violence.
Tacara told Mitch Albom that child homicide survivors grieve just as much as adults do. Tacara said she reminds parents all the time that just because the kids are playing, does not mean they are not grieving.
When asked what are some of the common denominators between children who have lost a parent to gun violence, Tacara said depression, the rise in suicide rates, and more kids dropping out of school. What Tacara does to diminish those statistics is provided a safe and supportive environment for those kids. The organization does recreational activities, counseling, court support, and financial support.
Tacara says the organization provides all of the pieces to the puzzle to allow kids to heal properly. They strive to provide love, attention, and support for the children who are experiencing a similar loss as she and her family experienced.
When asked about how families react to the help from the organization, Tacara said they talk about how inspired and connected they feel being a part of this program. She added that’s because it’s more than just a program, it is a family.
Outside of the free trauma therapy, the organization offers a free text support group for individuals. People can text the word “grief” to 8778060031. Weekly, people will receive inspirational text messages that include self care and coping skills. Other products the organization offers are hats, shirts, and key tags.
To see Tacara’s entire interview, watch the video above.