STATE COLLEGE — Tides, Inc., recently announced that it has received a transformational $250,000 gift from the Ed and Charlene Friedman Charitable Trust. The contribution will fund the launch of a new counseling program designed to meet the needs of grieving children and families in Centre County.
The expanded services will be housed in Tides’ new State College office, also funded by Friedman’scontribution.
“This gift represents an extraordinary investment in the well-being of our community,” said Tides Executive Director Holly Oxendale. “Charlene’s generosity will allow us to create a welcoming and accessible space for grieving children to receive direct counseling services. It’s a gamechanger for our community.”
The funding will support the recruitment of a licensed counselor, office space to host counseling sessions, on-site resources for individuals and families, and the enhancement of Tides services tailored individuals who have experienced the death of a loved one. By expanding its physical footprint and service offerings, Tides aims to reduce barriers to care and reach more people in need of grief support.
Charlene Friedman shared that her gift reflects a deep belief in the importance of grief support after the death of a loved one. “Tides has a meaningful impact on people’s lives,” Friedman said. “I am honored to support their programming to introduce counseling services and the physical space needed to do so. It’s aprivilege to help ensure that local children and families have access to compassionate, professional grief care in a safe environment.”
Tides’ new State College office marks a significant milestone in the organization’s growth and commitment to serving the community. The expanded counseling services made possible by this gift will begin once the hiring process concludes.
For more information about Tides and its counseling services, please visit www.tidesprogram.org or contact Holly Oxendale at holly.oxendale@tidesprogram.org.
