Mission

We provide comfort bags to kids in need in our community. Susie Q's Kids is a 501c3 started in honor of our late daughter, Susie McBride-Welsh.

The comfort, sensory, and grief bags are provided to other nonprofits for distribution to kids in their programs such as hospitals, shelters, foster care, and those grieving the loss of loved ones.

What We Do

Imagine the smile of a child receiving our comfort bag that is:
* sick dealing with health issues
* homeless living in a shelter
* removed from their home and placed in foster care
* a grieving child mourning the loss of a loved one
* a glimmer-of-hope from someone suffering mental health concerns

With an emphasis on mental health, Susie Q's Kids has partnered with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) to support their efforts. This year we chaired the children's tent at four local suicide walks, shared stories of hope and healing, and comforted those on their grief journey. Susie Q's Kids was honored and awarded the "Community Partner of the Year Award for 2021", we are humbled at the recognition that our impact has made on the adults and children in our community. We were also asked to share at the Barb Smith Suicide Resource and Response Network Conference this fall. The message is clear, our kids need the support and guidance of our community.

Dr. Mary authored four books: an adult grief book and positive reflection journal, and a children's grief book and coloring book added to our children's comfort bags. The message of how to use positive reflection to address life and loss permeates throughout her books, speaking engagements, reinforced in her remembrance beads (key-chain story starters), and through the distribution of Susie Q's Kids comfort bags.

Individuals can contribute and organizations can engage their employees in helping kids-in-need by sponsoring donation drives, stuffing events, and providing financial and in-kind support. We encourage the following methods of support:
* Financial contributions
* Sponsorship
* In-kind contributions (crayons, colored pencils, markers, coloring, activity and puzzle books, notebooks, journals, hot-wheels cars, UNO and card games, dental and hygiene products, lap blankets inspirational items)
* Product discounts
* Donation box-drives
* Bag stuffing events
* Nonprofit sponsored events and galas
* Susie Q's Kids fundraising events
* Speaking and engagement events
* Grants

We have received, personal and corporate donations along with grants to support the distribution of our comfort bags for children in need. Through their generosity, we can broaden our ability to raise funding to help support the purchase of products used to fulfill our comfort bag creation and distribution to kids in need in our communities. Our grant support includes agencies such as Facebook, Children's Foundation, Eagles for Children Foundation, Macomb Charitable Foundation, and Sterling Heights Lions Club.

Our reach in society is expanding, awards and connections include:
* Honored by the American Foundation of Suicide Awareness as the Community Partner of the Year for 2021
* Named as the Nonprofit Liaison for the new Discovery Center of Macomb, Mt. Clemens
* Negotiating a partnership with the Play Place for Autistic kids, Sterling Heights
* Sterling Heights Lions Club Charity of the Year 2020
* Recognized as Great Nonprofit 2021
* More to come

Dr. Mary engages the community and furthers the Susie Q's Kids mission as:
* Grief Facilitator for New Center Hope for Grief Support, distribute books and bags
* Board Member for Bereaved Parents of USA, Macomb Chapter
* Speaker National Conference Bereaved Parents of USA, 2020, 2021
* Speaker National Conference for Compassionate Friends, 2020, 2021
* Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (Military Loss), 2020-present
* Board Member for Sterling Heights Lions Club

Our comfort bags have been provided to numerous nonprofit organizations across Southeast Michigan serving kids in hospitals, shelters, foster care agencies, and organizations supporting children grieving the loss of loved ones, along with spreading the word on the importance of mental health and suicide prevention awareness such as, but not limited to:
* Children's and Beaumont Hospital
* Haven, Turning Point, Care House
* Big Family of Michigan, Love for a Child
* Elle's Place, New Center Hope

Our remembrance beads - key chain story starters, a fundraising initiative, provide individuals with the ability to share a story or two of their loved ones in a nonthreatening and comfortable fashion which brings them happiness at sharing a memory and story; it allows the other person to share memories and stories, which brightens both t days their days remembering someone special or an event. Each set of beads enables us to reach another child in our program.

Together, we can make a difference in the life of a child.