A Circle of Hope
On November 23, 2016, the day before Thanksgiving, the Mourning family’s lives changed forever. Trina Mourning-Dodson received a call that no one would ever want to receive. Her brother, Arthur Lee Mourning Jr. (“Lee Lee”) had been shot in his own home in front of one of his children.
Trina rushed to the hospital after receiving the call and waited hours alone in the lobby until her name was called. The doctors escorted her into the family room to let her know that her brother had died. Once the doctors left, Trina had the daunting task of calling her parents, siblings, and other family members to hear the yells and screams over and over again after telling them that he had died from his gunshot wounds.
The Mourning Family were officially on the “other side of the yellow tape” being that this was the first time they ever experienced a homicide in their family. Arthur left behind six children who needed resources that weren’t readily available including mental health care. After years of hurt, grief, and trying to find proper resources for several of her brother’s children, a Circle of Hope was born.
Our mission is to provide professional grief support services with a primary focus on children who lost a parent or sibling to homicide. Our Trauma-Informed care team of volunteers addresses grief as a public health service. Circle of Hope believes that all children suffering the traumatic loss of a loved one should have accessible support and feel safe as they work to heal while working through their grief.
No Child should ever walk the journey of grief alone.
Compassion
Inclusivity
Excellence
United effort to help
Circle of Hope provides much-needed support to children who are struggling to cope with the loss of a loved one to homicide.
- Volunteer
- Donations
- Teamwork
- Mission
- Assistance
- Awareness
- Respect