First U.S. Funeral Peer Support Meeting A Success!
WHEELING, IL — Funeral Professional Peer Support (FPPS) successfully held its first U.S.-based meeting on Tuesday, June 22, 2021. But it wasn’t just Americans who participated – professionals joined from as far away as Kenya to find a community of their peers.
“I think we have started something really special and inspiring for our industry,” said FPPS Founder Michael Dixon, whose organization is dedicated to breaking down barriers around conversations about the challenges of funeral service work.
“We want to change the way the funeral sector looks at mental health. We want individuals who request our help to have positive, helpful experiences so that we can retain good people in the funeral sector,” said Kim Zavrotny, FPPS Program Director and a funeral director at McComas Funeral Home in Maryland.
The meeting was open to anyone in the death care profession, in any role in the funeral home, cemetery or crematory, or at any stage in their career.
“The conversation started right away,” enthused Dixon. Participants in the meeting shared experiences that challenged them, offered encouraging words, or just listened to their peers. “I was happy with the number of people and how they offered suggestions,” Dixon he added, pointing out that the conversation flowed so well, the group kept talking well after the scheduled hour.
Fortunately, this is only the beginning. “We are off to a great start and eager to continue on July 20 and the following third Tuesdays,” said Barbara Kemmis, Executive Director of the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) which hosted the event. The association plans to continue hosting Peer Support Meetings every month on Tuesday evenings for anyone to attend.
FPPS and CANA welcome you to be part of this change! Join your peers on July 20, 2021 via Zoom to access the meeting. No CE is available because the focus is purely on connecting with other funeral service professionals. You do not need to be a CANA Member to participate.
Learn more about what you can expect from this meeting at goCANA.org/peersupport. Make note of your meeting link and mark your calendar for Tuesday, July 20, 2021 at 8pm ET / 7pm CT / 5pm PT.
About Funeral Professional Peer Support
Funeral Professional Peer Support Group is committed to providing support, healing, education and knowledge to funeral professionals. They promote wholeness and wellness by uniting funeral sector professionals through a Canada-wide network of regional organizations offering support, information and resources within their community.
About CANA
Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,300 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization.
