Community Grief

Community Grief (also known as Collective Grief) is when a group of people experience a death or loss that impacts them communally and broadly. Community grief can be experienced at our local community level, as a region, as a country, or we can be impacted as a global community.

Community grief can occur after a community has experienced a death of a well known member of their community, following natural disasters, accidents such as the Humboldt bus accident, or mass loss of lives such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

We do not need to know the person individually to experience community grief. We experience community grief because we feel a connection to the person(s) who have died. They may have been a community member who was part of our daily commute for years, a celebrity whose story resonates with you, or we may grieve for those closely impacted who are grieving their loved ones.

We never have to be alone in our grief, and gathering in community can be one way to honour our grief as a community. On this page you will find videos of community members talking about their experiences of community grief.

Skip to Videos

Content Funded By

Municipality of Port Hope

We are thankful for the Community Grant funding through the Municipality of Port Hope.

Visit Site

Community Grief-Related Blog

a lilac is stuck in the sand of the beach at a memorial.

What I know about grief

Posted in Blog Post, Collective/Community Grief, Death and Grief During a Pandemic, Death By Overdose, Death of A Loved One, Grief and Trauma, Suicide, Supporting Others

The following are some things I know to be true about grief for me, based on my lived experience. Some of them may resonate with you as well. Grief is unique to the people experiencing it in each moment, so please take whatever makes sense to you from this share and leave whatever doesn’t.

Community Grief Toolkit [Downloadable!]

Posted in Bereavement Professionals' Insights, Blog Post, Collective/Community Grief, I Am A Griever, I Am A Professional, I Am A Supporter, Supporting Others, Toolkits

This toolkit also reflects on how we support grief in the community. The tools to come together and honour our collective experiences and how to build the resources for further support.

a marsh in Temagami with lillypads in the water and sparse trees sticking out of it

Thoughts on International Overdose Awareness Day 2023

Posted in Bereavement Professionals' Insights, Blog Post, Collective/Community Grief, Death By Overdose, Drug Poisoning and the Pandemic

We lead multifaceted lives, and the deaths of those we love who have died by drug poisoning contain multitudes. The death of a loved one can bring intense grief, shock, anger, shame, or guilt. People who use drugs, and those who love them that they leave behind, face stigma in North America’s dominant, settler culture.

Collective Grief

Posted in Bereavement Professionals' Insights, Blog Post, Collective/Community Grief, Death and Grief During a Pandemic, Death By Overdose, Death During Service, Death of a Child, Death of a Grandparent, Death of A Loved One, Death of a Parent, Death of a Partner, Death of a Sibling, Grief and Trauma, In Memoriam, Suicide, Supporting Others

When the death of a person affects many members in a community, city, country, or across the world, people will experience collective grief.

These are some things that can help people through the experience of collective grief across a community.

Community Grief-Related Videos

ALL PANDEMIC VIDEOS

ALL PANDEMIC VIDEOS

Kim – Facebook and connecting

Kim - discussses our need to connect and how Facebook was useful after her Mum's death

Nicole – Working in Community Outreach

Nicole discusses her work in community outreach and how she has lived experience with addiction and living rough.

Nicole – Advice for Other Professionals Managing Grief

Nicole discusses dealing with repeated loss while working in community outreach, not being afraid to be human.

Nicole – Using Art and Creativity to Express Grief

Nicole discusses the work she does to allow access to creative outlets such as art hives and gardening.

Nicole – Pandemic Leads to Increase in Drug Poisoning

Nicole discusses the increase in drug poisonings during the pandemic due to a number of factors.

Nicole – Power of Speaking About Lost Ones

Nicole discusses the importance of sharing memories of those lost to drug poisoning and speaking their names.

Donna – “Grief in conversation”

Donna discusses language and talking about grief.

Nicole – Pandemic’s Effect on Safe Spaces and Mental Health Access

Nicole discusses how the pandemic affected access to safe spaces and shelters for those living rough and living with addiction.

Christian – My process in grieving

Christian explains his grieving process and how it's important to let people in, the power of community, and having a team that makes him feel loved and cared for

Christian – “Remembering together in a meaningful way”

Christian discusses the power of memories.

Grief Stories Terms of Use & Disclaimer

Terms of Use

Users

Rules of Conduct

GriefStories.Org is not a Substitute for Professional Medical or Mental Health Services

Disclaimer

GriefStories.org Does Not Provide Medical or Mental Health Advice

Website Content May Not Reflect Viewpoints of Partners

Right to Remove Content

External Links

Your Personal Information and Privacy