Soaring Spirits uses a four-pillar approach to support widowed people, their families, and their communities, meeting evolving needs across the widowed experience.
4.75 Million
people reached in 2025
31,500
people attended a Regional Social Group Meeting in 2025
505
people engaged in grief literacy training in 2025
69%
of our community are parenting minor children
19,500
newly widowed people were supported by our program in 2025
Camp Widow
Camp Widow® is a one-of-a-kind experience created by widowed people, for widowed people—offering connection, understanding, and real-world tools for navigating life after the death of a spouse or partner. Through weekend and one-day events across the U.S. and internationally, Camp Widow blends the depth of a conference, the renewal of a retreat, and the warmth of a community reunion.
This powerful experience is also captured in our award-winning documentary, recognized as Best Documentary at the Dam Short Film Festival, offering an intimate look at the strength, honesty, and connection that define Camp Widow.
Advanced Grief Literacy Certified Professionals
A growing network of professionals committed to showing up with greater awareness, skill, and care for the widowed people they serve.
These individuals have completed Soaring Spirits’ Advanced Grief Literacy Certification—an in-depth training grounded in the real experiences of widowed people.
Their presence here reflects a meaningful investment in understanding widowhood, and a commitment to serving with clarity, confidence, and compassion.
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!
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.
Tuesday 5.25.26 🗓️ I went on my first date since my husband died. It came with all of it. All the feelings. I was really excited and proud of myself for choosing to do it and heartbroken all over...
You know I’ve been through all of this before … nearly 16 years ago. The years of heavy caregiving leading to the loss of my love, the emotions, the disappointments, the sadness, the loneliness,...
Last week I got to take an all-day class on hand lettering. The session is meant as a way to get in touch with your creative side. I knew when I saw the class description it was one I wanted to take...
11.5 years after Lynn passed, I (finally) switched my home’s water bill from her name to my name. Normal?! Ehhh, I thought it was pretty nuts that it took me this long. This un-fun task was never...
I know it’s a good “problem” to have, but maintaining three homes and four dogs can put a nice hurtin’ on the balances of ‘ye old credit cards. When I got a nice offer from a credit...
Ever heard the term, “stuck in the doldrums”? The doldrums is a nautical term for the equatorial region of the Earth where the prevailing trade winds converge, often resulting in calms,...
I came across an interesting article about solo travelers who are in a couple’s relationship. It played off those for whom such travel represents mind-expanding liberation against others who see...
I’m a Bad🤨$$, you’re a Bad🤨$$, we are ALL Bad🤨$$es!!! The past few weeks have left me exhausted and depleted, once again. Yes, there has been some joy and fun, but between planning my daughter’s...
“Separation is an illusion. Though your loved ones are not physically with you, they are with you spiritually and energetically. They live in you and through you. They are ever with you, as close...
Memorial Day marks the official start of summer here. The kids had their last day of school last week. I now have a senior, a freshman, and a seventh grader. Watching the kids grow is a milestone against...
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.
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.
Soaring Spirits Resilience Center
The Soaring Spirits Resilience Center is the research and innovation arm of Soaring Spirits International. The SSRC advances evidence-based understanding of grief, resilience, and post-loss adjustment. As a nonprofit research initiative, the SSRRI conducts and disseminates research that strengthens peer support, informs best practices in community health, and promotes grief literacy across diverse populations.
