Soaring Spirits has one goal; to connect widowed people with each other.
Newly WidowedInformation, resources and understanding for those who are recently widowed.
Camp WidowAn uplifting, life-affirming event planned for widowed people by widowed people.
Regional Social GroupsRegular social gatherings of widowed people all over North America and selected locations globally.
Widow’s Voice BlogWe house the largest library in the world of blogs written by widowed people about love, grief, and life after the death of a partner.
Widowed VillageOur 24/7 online community is a place to write, read and share thoughts with other widowed people.
Public Health InitiativeChanging the way the public supports widowed people through customized training and resource development.
Widowed Pen PalsAn opportunity to connect with another widowed person by email.
You Are Not Alone OutreachOffers quick and easy ways to connect a widowed person in your life with our community.
AmaWaterways is a valued partner of Soaring Spirits International. We are grateful for the significant funding AmaWaterways provides to support SSI’s ongoing programs, and for the inspiration to keep dreaming of new opportunities that build resilience through travel, shared experience, and a commitment to building community. Visit our private landing page for details about the amazing travel experiences offered by AmaWaterways. Every booked trip includes a donation to Soaring Spirits!
Thank You to our Partners and Sponsors
Soaring Spirits is grateful for the incredible support of our corporate and community sponsors. Our work is fueled by their generosity.
Camp Widow® is a unique and incredible experience. This innovative program provides practical tools and research-informed resources for widowed persons rebuilding their lives in the aftermath of the death of a spouse or partner. We offer both weekend-long and one-day events across the United States and in a variety of International locations. Blending three event styles - a conference format, an inspiring retreat, and a reunion with great friends - Camp Widow is open to anyone who has experienced the death of the person with whom they planned to spend the rest of their lives (legally married or not), and provides an in-person widowed community of peers who are making their way through widowhood one day at a time. Learn more here.
We are grateful for the allies who join us in ensuring that Soaring Spirits programs are available for all widowed people. Soaring Spirits’ Widowed Community Ally Program provides professionals with tools, training and resources to help them compassionately and effectively serve their widowed clients while positioning them and equipping them to be trusted business partners for widowed people. Learn more
Widow’s Voice
Imagine finding a blog that gives voice to the pain you are living in, words you've thought, but never shared. We've amassed a library that includes thousands of posts written by widowed people that normalize the sometimes crazy process of grief and loss. Our blogs are searchable and will lead you to specific topics, questions or to your favorite author.
I remember the various milestones in the past 11 years, regarding when I took off certain significant pieces of jewelry. The matching ring that I wore on my ring finger that Lynn and I had that represented...
Lately, for some reason, I’ve been especially nostalgic for my home state of New Jersey. Maybe it’s the news coverage and all the dire forecasts of the meterologists that have that state, and many...
Everyone’s got an, I know I shouldn’t do it but I do it anyway. For me, it’s staying up late. From what I can remember this all started when I was pretty young. I would give my parents fits over...
Lola and I arrived in Tucson late Tuesday afternoon. It’s not exactly a hop, skip, and jump from our home to sunny Arizona, with stops along the way in Springfield, Elk City, and Albuquerque. Our...
Love is the engine in the many tasks that make up a life. As a lucky grandma, I am called to assist now and again. just one of many privileges that make up my life. Still alive am I, widowed and all...
I try to use the first month of a new year to take a good look at my life … do some deep diving, reviewing, thinking, planning. What’s working well? What do I need to change? What new things do...
Emily is out of town this week. This repost on friendship and grief is worth another read form her 2024 blog post! __________________ Over the last week, I’ve been reflecting on friendship. When you...
I finally went for a run in the woods near my house. It has been about 2 months since I went on a “real” run, and even longer since I went for a “proper” trail run in these woods that I consider...
During the second week of January, I found myself returning to the home in Georgia that my late-husband Rich and I purchased six years ago. There, I continued to curate what I call the My Museum of...
This week was a whirlwind and it was Saturday afternoon when I’d realized I hadn’t queued up a new post! So apologies there everyone. I also managed to completely lose track of even what the date...
Soaring Spirits International: Embracing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
At Soaring Spirits International (SSI), we believe that widowhood is a shared human experience, transcending boundaries of marital status, gender, sexual identity, and religious traditions. Our programs welcome and honor the diversity that grief brings, offering support to anyone who has experienced the death of their person.
We are committed to ensuring equitable access to our programs, recognizing that underserved populations face barriers in accessing grief support. Through active outreach and data collection, we work to remove these barriers systematically and consistently.
Inclusion is at the heart of our mission. We understand that mourning takes different forms across cultures and identities. With curiosity and cultural humility, we continually adapt and expand our resources to serve an ever broader and more diverse community of widowed individuals. We actively seek feedback from underrepresented communities to ensure our programs are relevant and inclusive.
Our dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion is an ongoing journey. We regularly review and improve our efforts, staying connected with the evolving needs of our global community.
Our full statement and DEI action plan can be found by clicking this link.
4 Million
People Reached
70
Regional Groups
69%
Parenting Minor Children
10K
Newly Widowed Packets Delivered Annually Free of Charge
Feeling lost in the immediate aftermath of becoming widowed is common and daunting. We can help! These packets provide a practical checklist for the newly widowed, relevant program information, and a collection of supportive messages from one widowed person to another. Packets are mailed and are designed for those widowed less than six months.
Do you know someone who is widowed? Soaring Spirits’ You Are Not Alone cards are small folded business cards that contain all the information a widowed person would need to get connected with our widowed community. You Are Not Alone cards are free, easy to order, and small enough to carry in your purse or wallet. These little cards make a big difference.
Day or night, no matter where you are on the globe, we offer an online community featuring blog posts, group discussions, focused forums for deeper connection, and ways to find widowed women and men close to your age, date of loss, and geographic location. Our carefully screened virtual community provides hope and healing from the comfort of your home.
When we discovered the lack of research being conducted about the widowed experience, we developed the first center in the U.S. focused on grief and resilience in widowhood. Housed at Schreiner University in Texas, the Soaring Spirits Resilience Center researches widowed experiences and develops tools to support healing in grieving populations.
At Soaring Spirits International (SSI), we believe that widowhood is a shared human experience, transcending boundaries of marital status, gender, sexual identity, and religious traditions. Our programs welcome and honor the diversity that grief brings, offering support to anyone who has experienced the death of their person.