Rainbows for All Children is excited to introduce our new and improved digital newsletter. With the goal of keeping our supporters informed and involved, the newsletter will be released once a quarter with updates on the latest Rainbows news. If there is anything that you would like to see mentioned in this newsletter, please email us at info@rainbows.org with any suggestions or requests. Your feedback will help us make this newsletter an invaluable resource for our supporters. We are grateful for the time and work put in by people like you, who help us to continue our mission of improving the lives of grieving children.

We are entering 2015 with the determination to continue our organization's growth. Our goal of training 750 new facilitators has already hit the 200 mark. With the help of such facilitators, we have been able to expand our programs in our home state, Illinois, with recent sites including Chicago Jesuit Academy and Grant Community High School, as well as to centers across the United States, such as Union County School in Blairsville, GA.

We also expanded our team to include Sarah Lund, our Operations Assistant, and Chris Provost, a volunteer working with us through the Amate House Program. Our new headquarter location in downtown Evanston, IL, has also provided us with the opportunity to bring in many interns from nearby Northwestern University and Adler University. This summer we were also fortunate to have several interns from DePaul University, University of Minnesota, Northern Illinois University, and Syracuse University.

We have spent the past year revising our materials, making them less costly, more accessible, and more effective. We have improved our Online Facilitator Training functionality, allowing those who want to volunteer to be able to do so with ease. Ordering our materials has never been easier, thanks to our new and improved website. With these updates to our website and materials, we hope that we will be able to reach even more of the children who need us the most.  

This new chapter in Rainbows' history is marked by our new logo, which can be seen at the top of this Newsletter.  

If you or someone you know would be interested in becoming more involved with Rainbows as a Facilitator, email us at info@rainbows.org. Find the nearest Rainbows program near you at our new Find a Group service. Can't find one near you? You can help us help children by starting up a new site in your area.

 During this past holiday season,we found two articles published by the Chicago Tribune that reminded us of why Rainbows for All Children is crucial for modern families. 

 Nara Schoenberg's article, "When a Parent Dies Young" recalls that nearly 1 in 25 American children will face the loss of a parent before their eighteenth birthday. Schoenberg offers tips on how to deal with the loss of a loved one while also helping your child recover, and gives insight on some of the best ways to speak with children about death.  

Heidi Stevens' equally compelling article, "Rise in Nontraditional Families Putting a New Face on Society," sheds light on just what it is that makes up a family. In a time where the majority of children do not come from "traditional" two-parent first-marriage homes, our program can help kids adapt to growing up in a "modern family". Children who go through the Rainbows program can meet peers who also live in less traditional homes, giving them the opportunity to realize that they are not alone. Stevens' article was an interesting read for any Rainbows' supporter, as proof that the need for Rainbows is increasing with the ever changing definition of "family" in our modern world.

Looking to get more parenting tips and ideas, news, and games from Rainbows for All Children? We have recently branched out to even more social media sites. You can find us on Twitter, our Facebook Page and Profile, Pinterest, and LinkedIn. We look forward to seeing you online!