Henry Ford SandCastles

Allen Park will be the site of Henry Ford SandCastles Navigators Grief Series for families who are grieving the death of a loved one. This eight week series empowers families with the tools to make their grief journey easier, in community with peers.

Leah Bengel, Henry Ford SandCastles clinical coordinator, shared with Allen Park High School students about how she felt after her mother died.

“When I was 12, my mom died by suicide,” Bengel said. “My world was turned upside down and I was filled with many emotions.”

She was about to enter junior high and although she had family support, she had a difficult time relating to friends who never experienced a death loss before.

“SandCastles provided me with the coping skills I needed to be successful as a teen and into adulthood,” Bengel said. “It helped me normalize that I wasn’t alone on my grief journey and relate to peers who also experienced a death. Most importantly it taught me how to memorialize my mom and keep her memory alive. I truly believe without SandCastles my family would not be able to talk about my mom, and I would not be where I am today without the support I received from SandCastles.”

Bengel and her family participated in SandCastles for about 18 months, including attending camp twice. Her experience led her into volunteering for SandCastles, then becoming a social worker and now she works for the program she participated in as a youth.

Bengel, along with her team at SandCastles, have been working with Allen Park High School through school social worker Kathy Weaver for two years to support grieving students in the community. Bengel has talked in each health class about the challenges of grief, how to cope and how to help your friends in grief.

Additionally, SandCastles brought New York Life’s Grief Sensitive Schools project in to train teachers and receive a $500 NYL grant for becoming a Grief Sensitive School.

In 2025, Allen Park High School Student Council identified SandCastles as its recipient of the charity week fundraiser, which raised over $5,000. Students continue to donate time to create painted rocks and make blankets for campers at SandCastles Camp. Together SandCastles and APHS is working to be grief allies to families in need, including through the upcoming Navigators series.

SandCastles’ eight-week Navigators Program provides a space for families to join in community with others on their grief journey to explore the rocky waters of grief and find a path toward healing. Children and teens will spend time with peers utilizing creative arts activities and discussion to help normalize their grief journey.

The series starts in early April and registration is open now. Interested families, please call (313) 771-7005 to set up a required intake call.

SandCastles’ ongoing bi-weekly groups, called Connections, are also available in Detroit, St. Clair Shores, Rochester, and West Bloomfield, as well as virtually. Additionally, a weekend bereavement camp will be held August 14-16. Camp is an adventure-filled, fun, healing weekend.

Anyone in need of help or information regarding grieving children can reach out by calling (313) 771-7005 or emailing sandcastles@hfhs.org. Services are offered free of charge, though they are supported by community volunteers and donors. Individuals interested in volunteering or supporting can learn more at aboutsandcastles.org.