Pages in Will's World for you to visit:
Memorial Home
Start Here
William's Life and Photo Gallery
Early Years
Teen Years
The Crime
Epilogue
William's Room
William's Interests, Links, and Artwork
William's Memorials
Information on Some of the Other Memorials Dedicated
To William's Memory
(Come See the Daylily)
News Reports
Text of the News Stories Surrounding William's Murder and the Trials.
Bereavement and Grief
An Extensive List of Links and Information
on Sites Useful to Grieving Teens and Adults
Contents
Victim Rights
Grief and Family Support
Organizations
Related To Gun Violence
Bulletin
Boards and Chats
Bibliography
Memorial Scholarship Information
Information on the Memorial Scholarship Funds
Other Memorial Sites
Links to Other Memorial Sites on the Web. You May Submit Your Own Memorial Site To Your Loved One Here, As Well
Bill's Scribblings
Published and Unpublished Articles Written by Me Regarding My Own Grief and Sense of Loss.
Contents
Editorials
Talks and Writings
Selected Newsgroup Posts
Journal Entries
Letters
Two Short Fictions
A "Letter of Demonic Advice" in the style
of C. S. Lewis' The Screwtape Letters
regarding the loss of a child and a short story I'd like to believe could come
true.
WBJ Press
Information on our book.
WBJ Press
Online Bibliography
More Resources and Materials for Bereaved Families
Bereavement, Victims Rights,
and
Grief Resources
On and Off the Web
- The following organizations are involved with activities with regard to legislative activism, victim assistance, gun violence, research, or on-line victim services and networking. Names, addresses, Internet homepages and links, and a brief description of the organization’s mission is provided. All organizational descriptions are cut and pasted directly from websites in context, the copyright for all information here belongs to the organization cited, all errors within the quoted text are those of the copyright holder. Bracketed information is provided based on a personal evaluation of the website.
- Though extensive, as with all internet searches, this is not intended to be an exhaustive list. There are many private websites out there with very helpful information and memorials. All web addresses are subject to change without notice. This listing was compiled in September 1997 and updated in September 1999 by Bill Jenkins, Father of William Benjamin Jenkins, murdered August 12, 1997 at the age of sixteen, a victim of handgun violence. Inclusion of information in this listing is not to be construed as an endorsement of any group’s activities or mission. All organizations listed are represented objectively, without bias, and in no particular order.
- Click here to submit your site for inclusion in
this list
Contents
- Victim's Rights
- Grief and Family Support
- Organizations
Dealing With Gun Violence:
For More Gun Control
Against More Gun Control
- Bulletin Boards and Chats
- Bibliography
Back to Will's World Home
Victim's Rights
Victim-Assistance Online
http://vaonline.orgBelieving that an informed community of service providers can better aid victims of crime and tragedy, Victim-Assistance Online Resources seeks to provide victim-assistance organizations, service providers and professionals in related fields with an on-line central directory of information and education resources related to their fields. We also seek to provide these groups with a variety of Internet communication mediums, so as to promote the free exchange and sharing of new ideas, learned experiences and peer support between both organizations and individuals.
[An important online resource for professionals and victims themselves.]
National Center for Victims of Crime
2111 Wilson Boulevard
Suite 300
Arlington, VA 22201
Telephone (703) 276-2880
www.ncvc.org
The National Center for Victims of Crime (formerly the National Victm Center) is a non-profit organization founded in 1985 and headquartered in Arlington, VA. The National Center is the nation’s most effective resource and advocacy center for victims of crime.The mission of the National Center for Victims of Crime is to forge a national commitment to help victims of crime rebuild their lives. We are dedicated to serving individuals, families and communities harmed by crime. Through collaboration with local, state and federal partners, we:
Provide direct services and resources;
Advocate laws and public policies that create resources and secure rights and protection for victims;
Deliver training and technical assistance to victim service providers and allied professionals; and
Foster cutting edge thinking about the impact of crime and the ways in which each of us can help victims regain control of their lives.
Working with more than 10,000 grassroots organizations throughout the nation, the National Center carries out this mission through its five program areas:
Victim Services
Public Education
Public Policy
Civil Justice
Training and Technical Assistance.
[Membership is $20 - $30 per year. Good update on events and ongoing projects. The website has a wealth of useful information for victims.]
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC)
810 7th Street N.W
Washington, D.C. 20531
www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc
The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) was established by the 1984 Victims of Crime Act to oversee diverse programs that benefit victims of crime. OVCprovides substantial funding to state victim assistance and compensation programs -- the lifeline services that help victims to heal. The agency also supports trainings designed to educate criminal justice and allied professionals regarding the rights and needs of crime victims. OVC is one of five agencies within the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
[Provides information on Federal, state, and local resources for victims of crime]
National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA)
1757 Park Road NW
Washington, DC 20010-2101
(202)-232-6682
www.try-nova.org
NOVA is a non-profit, membership organization made up of former victims, victim- and witness-assistance practitioners, mental health workers, criminal justice professionals, researchers and others who are committed to the recognition of victim rights. NOVA provides direct services for victims, works with local programs to improve victim services, provides membership communication and support and advocates on behalf of victims rights.
[ $30 membership includes legislative updates regarding victims’ rights issues. Lots of good literature available for assisting victims of a wide range of crimes.]
Back to Top
Grief and Family Support
American Association of Suicidology
4201 Connecticut Ave. NW
Suite 310
Washington, DC 20008
(202) 237-2280
www.suicidology.orgWelcome to the website of the American Association of Suicidology, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the understanding and prevention of suicide. This site is designed as a resource for anyone concerned about suicide, including AAS members, suicide researchers, therapists, prevention specialists, survivors of suicide, and people who are themselves in crisis.
[One of the best sites I have found on the Internet for Suicide support.]
FuneralNet
http://funeralnet.com/Welcome to FuneralNet. In our Web site you will find the most extensive U.S. and Canadian funeral home directory on the Internet. The directory can lead you to funeral home Web sites in your area, as well as those around the U.S. and Canada. If the funeral home you are looking for does not offer information on-line, their name, address, and phone number can still be found.
Also included is helpful information regarding funerals, cremations, and cemeteries, as well as other related subjects. We hope you find this information helpful and gives you the knowledge regarding a subject we only use once in a great while.
[A remarkably complete base of authoritative information on funerals, grief, and bereavement. Includes internet links, much helpful literature. If you have questions about the funeral process or industry, be sure that this is one of the first sites you look at.]
TAG: Teen Age Grief
http://www.smartlink.net/~tag/grief.html/
Unfortunately, the needs of the bereaved teenager have been sorely overlooked for decades. In many grief recovery programs, support is often available for younger children and adults, but there is a definite void in teen services. I have seen this void throughout our country. Teenagers often give us mixed messages. They tell us that they need and expect our help in providing them with food and a nurturing environment but also tell us, on the other hand, that they can run their lives on their own. Because people do not always know how to respond to teens, they frequently back off, resulting in a teen who is left to grieve alone or with very limited support.
[Good information for anyone who is working with a teen in grief.]
The Dougy Center: The National Center for Greiving Children and Families
3903 Southeast 52nd Ave.
P.O. Box 86852
Portland, OR 97286
(503) 775-5683
www.dougy.orgThe mission of The Dougy Center is to provide to families in Portland, Oregon and the surrounding region loving support in a safe place where children, teens, and their families who are grieving a death can share their experience as they move through their healing process. Through our National Center for Grieving Children and Families, we also provide support and training locally, nationally and internationally to individuals and organizations seeking to assist children and teens in grief.
[Support and resources for children dealing with grief and loss.]
Center for Loss and Life Transition
www.centerforloss.comFounded in 1983 by Dr. Alan Wolfelt, the Center for Loss and Life Transition is a private organization dedicated to furthering our understanding of -and compassion for- the complex set of emotions we call grief. Our mission is to help both the bereaved, by walking with them in their unique life journeys, and bereavement caregivers, by serving as their educational liaison and professional forum. Our motto is "helping people help others."
[The Center has exceptional books and materials for grieving adults, teens, and children.]
Against Drunk Driving (ADD) - Ontario
http://www.netmediapro.com/add/grieving.htm
We, at ADD, have tried to put together a series of articles which have come our way to help people, just like you, through your troubled times. The articles deal with the various aspects of THE GRIEVING PROCESS. Some articles may apply to you, and some may not. It is an attempt to help you understand your feelings, concerns, mental and physical states which occur as a result of a traumatic crisis. They are written by experts in their field.
[This page provides one of the best summaries of grief and traumatic loss I've seen. You will want to copy it to use for a resource.]The National Hospice Organization
www.nho.orgFounded in 1978, the National Hospice Organization is the oldest and largest nonprofit public benefit organization devoted exclusively to hospice care. NHO is dedicated to promoting and maintaining quality care for terminally ill persons and their families, and to making hospice an integral part of the U.S. health care system.
[Probably the most overlooked resource for traumatic losses is the hospice system. While hospices generally work with long-term illness and terminal care, their bereavement resources are open to the public. A hospice in your area should have reliable information on local resources.]Counseling for Loss and Life Changes
www.counselingforloss.comWelcome to the CLLC web site. Counseling For Loss & Life Changes (CLLC) was founded in 1993 by Jane Bissler, a licensed professional clinical counselor and specialist in grief therapy. CLLC offers individual and family counseling services for grieving people throughout the area. Prior to forming CLLC, Jane provided professional counseling services to grieving families through Bissler & Sons Funeral Home. In short time, Jane's client base rapidly expanded as people who had chosen other funeral homes for their services also began coming to Jane for help with their grieving needs. As a result, Jane founded CLLC to meet and service the needs of those people as well.
[An extraordinary and well-done website which has much good advice and many good resources.]
The National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children, Inc.
100 East Eighth Street, B-41
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202
(513) 721-5683
www.pomc.com
The National Organization of Parents Of Murdered Children (POMC) is the only national helping organization which is specifically for the survivors of homicide victims and which follows up with supportive family services after the murder of a family member or friend.These services include: participation in a self-help group; crisis intervention; assistance with problematic cases; advocacy; and information and referrals. Also there are on-going activities such as a National Annual POMC Conference and in-depth therapeutic grief weekends. In addition, POMC provides specialized training for professionals who come in contact with survivors of homicide victims.
It is our hope that all survivors of murdered victims will eventually experience a lessening of their pain. It is our belief that it will come sooner if they can share the suffering with others who have been down the same road.
[Website has recently been revised to be an extensive resource for bereaved parents.]
TLC Group
Publications for Transition, Loss, and Change
TLC Group publishes books on Transition, Loss, and Change sold only through direct mail and selected Internet outlets. Additionally, TLC offers consulting, seminars, and workshops on Grief Recognition and Resolution, Change Manageme0nt, and Peer Support Group Setup. Please explore our site and contact us for more information or general feedback
[The TLC Group offers excellent papers, tips for coping with grief, and articles online as well as books available for order. One of their books deals with starting and running a support group. Recently, TLC has gone off-line and has not reappeared. Their books and materials are still available through Griefnet.org]About.com formerly The Mining Company
http://dying.about.com[An excellent site for death, dying, and bereavement articles and information. About.com also has many related sites as well.]
Tom Golden’s Crisis, Grief and Healing Website
10400 Connecticut Avenue Suite 514
Kensington, Maryland 20895 USA
301 942-9192
www.webhealing.com
This page is meant to be a place men and women can browse to understand and honor the many different paths to heal strong emotions. TOM GOLDEN LCSW of Washington D.C. is an internationally known psychotherapist, author, and speaker on the topic of healing from loss. There are many resources on this page including excerpts from his popular book Swallowed by a Snake: The Gift of the Masculine Side of Healing which can be ordered via email.
[One of the most respected private websites dedicated to grief. A memorial section allows one to tell their story so it can be archived. Such stories can be of help to others finding the site. A discussion board is also included. This is a free website although Golden’s book appears prominently and can be ordered.]
Willowgreen
www.opn.com/willowgreen
Willowgreen is a leading provider of information and inspiration in the areas of illness and dying, loss and grief, healthy caregiving, life transition, and spirituality. Willowgreen is the creation of James E. Miller, writer and photographer, trainer and speaker, grief counselor and clergyman. Each Willowgreen book, audiotape, and videotape is a unique blend of helpful advice and age-old wisdom, sound psychology and deeply-rooted spirituality, the practical along with the poetic. Jim has also produced materials designed specifically for congregational use.
[Some very good spiritual resources with links to other grief support sites. Good online tips and advice.]
Growth House
www.growthhouse.org
This award-winning web site is your international gateway to resources for life-threatening illness and end of life issues. Our primary mission is to improve the quality of compassionate care for people who are dying through public education about hospice and home care, palliative care, pain management, death with dignity, bereavement, and related end of life topics.
[A site which also deals with a variety of death and dying topics. A chat room is available for real-time discussion. Many sources on grief and bereavement which are useful.]
GROWW - Grief Recovery Online
www.groww.com
GROWW was founded by a group of widows and widowers who understand that when a spouse dies, our husband or wife, was also a son or a daughter, an aunt or an uncle, a brother or a sister, a grandmother or a grandfather, a mother or a father and finally a friend. The death of a loved one is a spiral that touches many lives. "Grief Recovery" is for everyone in the path of the spiral who suffers the loss. The Death of a loved one brings you to the unique point of the spiral. The healing begins with the sharing with others and the process of learning that we are not so unique after all when we discover that we are not alone.
The primary function and expertise of GROWW is the development of bereavement support groups online in the format of "chat rooms". The founders of GROWW have successfully proven the merit of the use of chat rooms for the grief recovery program. The success is based on the anonymity of the membership, the candid conversations of one’s innermost pain spoken freely, the silent words, the faceless faces, the confidentiality of identity and the freedom to express oneself without shame or judgment. The topics are the members themselves. Open discussions based on the grief of the individual member shared with other members. The members are the experts, for they themselves have experienced a loss that no other can understand unless they have "walked the path of pain" that comes with losing a loved one. Words spoken freely from the heart, not quoted from a book, have more of an impact on a man or woman who needs to hear that someone understands.
[An exceptional and dedicated group of people that meets regularly in chat room format. In addition to various death circumstances, other types of victimization are dealt with as well.]
The Healing Place
www.healplace.com
This web site is designed as a resource for those in pain, be it emotional, physical or spiritual. As time goes by, we will be continually adding to its content according to your interests and needs.
We believe that every person has physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual and social needs, and that full health arises from integration of all these life aspects. Because of this belief, we are providing resources to support your journey toward personal integration.
As you browse through our home page, you will find information from a variety of perspectives, because no one answer is right for every individual. For example, there may be information about treatment modalities from both traditional medicine and alternative therapies, or from the perspectives of both traditional talk psychotherapies and hypnotherapy. This gives you the ability to choose what works for your life.
[Good section on Grief and Loss. Again, many types of loss are dealt with.]
GriefNET
www.rivendell.org
GriefNet, a collection of resources of value to those who are experiencing loss and grief, is sponsored by Rivendell Resources, a non-profit foundation based in Ann Arbor, MI.
[A well prepared site with memorial pages and other good resources. "Support groups" which e-mail directly to you are available allowing discussion with people of similar experiences.]
Invincible Summer
http://www.drizzle.com/~hall/invsum/
Support for those who have lost their only or all children . While this site is primarily for those who have no surviving children, all those who have lost children are welcome, as well as those who wish to help bereaved parents.
[A very pleasant site with poetry, encouragement, and helpful information]
Concerned Counseling Online
http://www.concernedcounseling.com
We've been working on this website for over a year. Our goal is to make having access to licensed professional counselors easy...convenient, confidential and affordable. We think we've accomplished that. Now you can reach our counselors anytime you want...either here online or through our toll-free telephone number [Website offers a bookstore, real-time chats, professional counselors, and an online magazine. One of the best professional websites I’ve looked at.]
Mothers Against Drunk Driving
511 E. John Carpenter Frwy., #700
Irving, TX 75062
http://www.madd.org
Phone: 1-800-GET-MADDMADD Canada
6507 C Mississauga Rd.
Mississauga, ON L5N 1A6
1-800-665-MADD
www.madd.caMothers Against Drunk Driving is a 501(c)(3) non-profit grass roots organization with more than 600 chapters nationwide. MADD is not a crusade against alcohol consumption. Our focus is to look for effective solutions to the drunk driving and underage drinking problems, while supporting those who have already experienced the pain of these senseless crimes.
[While the focus of the organization is primarily on victims of drunk driving, MADD has developed some exceptional literature on the aftermath of dealing with a traumatic loss, sibling and child grief, and financial challenges in the wake of traumatic loss. Organizational memberships are very reasonably priced.]
The Compassionate Friends
P.O. Box 3696
Oak Brook IL 60522-3696
Phone: 630-990-0010
www.compassionatefriends.org
The Compassionate Friends is a national nonprofit, self-help support organization which offers friendship, understanding and support to families who are grieving the death of a child of any age, from any cause. Our primary purpose is to assist in the positive resolution of their grief and to foster their physical, mental and emotional health.
A second purpose is to provide information and education on familial grief to the community.
TCF has no religious affiliation. It is non-sectarian and multicultural. There are no membership fees or dues, and all bereaved family members are welcome.
[Website is general information only. Call for information on local chapters.]
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
www.aacap.org
The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry provides this important information as a public service to assist parents and families in their most important roles.
[Look under Facts For Families for an online article on Children and Grief]The Etiquette of Helping Others
http://hometown.aol.com/Jeri10/index.htmlWhen you want to help, but don't know what to do. By Jeri-Lynn Johnson
[Good site for information on what friends can do to support the grieving. Lots of good links for grief support.]
FuneralNet
http://www.funeralnet.com/
Welcome to FuneralNet. In our Web site you will find the most extensive funeral home directory on the Internet. The directory can lead you to funeral home Web sites in your area, as well as those around the country. If the funeral home you are looking for does not offer information on-line, their name, address, and phone number can still be found.
Caregiving Online
http://www.caregiving.com/
Wellness for Caregivers of an Aging Relative, Friend or Neighbor. An online support service brought to you by Caregiving newsletter
[Information for Caregivers of the ill. Articles from the newsletter and other links are available.]
Bereaved Families of Ontario
http://www.geocities.com/heartland/plains/9799
An association of families who have lost children, siblings and parents through death.
The Bereaved... Helping the Bereaved Learn to Live with Grief
[An excellent collection of memorials, articles and submissions, and grief resources.]
The Serenity Site
http://www.inficad.com/~andya/
Welcome Home to a peaceful place, a stopover point from your weary travels on the mighty Web. Please stay for a while to browse and reflect. My hope is that you will feel better about yourself when you leave here than when you arrived.
[A very peaceful site which has a remarkable collection of literature and resources to calm the spirit, and the nerves.]
LIGHT FOR LIFE FOUNDATION of AMERICA
http://www.yellowribbon.org
LIGHT FOR LIFE FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
P.O. Box 644 Westminster, CO 80030-0644 USA
(303) 429-3530 Fax: (303) 426-4496
Our mission is to save lives through the use of the Yellow Ribbon Program to eliminate youth suicide.
Suicide kills our children 3 to 6 times more than homicide. There are 16 teen suicides a day in the United States. Because of the internal nature of depression and loneliness, thousands of our children who appear to be happy are screaming silently in the deepest emotional pain, what can we do?
[An excellent site focusing on teen-age suicide prevention. Many helpful links to resources dealing with teen-age depression as well. Could be useful in dealing with teens who have recently lost someone close to them.]
Thanatolinks
http://www.lsds.com/death/
Links to some of the best sites related to death and dying on the internet.
[A very good site for links to literature and books on death, dying, and grief.]
Death-Dying.com: The Life Surrounding Death
http://www.death-dying.com/
Welcome to ~ Death & Dying ~ where The Life Surrounding Death does not always have to be a negative thought!
This is a place for people to come too to think about the issues involved in the different aspects of life and death. We have created this site with a positive attitude toward providing you with helpful fact, information and a sense of community. You will find support either through our message boards, or by asking our experts. We have also provided a place for you to fill out some important personal information, so that you or your family members will be prepared for the unexpected.
[An exceptional full-service website with chat rooms, message boards, and online literature and help services.]