What Brings You Joy? An Initiative to Spread Fall Joy by Helping Kids Keep Moving, Creating, and Belonging
Support scholarships that connect children to hobbies, sports, and friendships that bring them JOY.
Here’s how it works:
Grief doesn’t follow a season — but connection, joy, and healing can take root even in the busiest times of year. That’s the heart behind Fall JOY, a program created to support children who have lost a parent by keeping them engaged in the activities that bring light to their lives.
From dance classes and soccer teams to art lessons, camps, and music groups, our What Brings You JOY Activity Scholarships provide full funding for a full year of extracurricular opportunities. These aren’t just hobbies — they’re lifelines to confidence, belonging, and emotional wellness.
By surrounding kids with peers and mentors in environments where they feel supported, Fall JOY helps them reconnect with who they are beyond their grief. As fall routines take shape, this program ensures that children don’t lose access to what brings them joy. With your support, we help them rediscover themselves in the everyday moments that matter most — through laughter, movement, creativity, and community.
To learn more or to apply, click here.
Want to sponsor a child’s reason for JOY this fall? Donate today.
How It Helps:
Fall JOY is designed to remove financial barriers and ensure that children who have experienced the loss of a parent can continue doing what brings them happiness, purpose, and connection—especially as the school year begins and routines settle in.
Each What Brings You JOY Activity Scholarship provides full funding for a full year of extracurricular participation. This includes everything from essential gear—like soccer cleats, dance kits, or art supplies—to lessons, training sessions, and camp fees, such as piano classes, goalkeeper training, or even parkour.
Whether a child finds joy on the field, in the studio, or through creative expression, Fall JOY supports a wide variety of passions and interests. By funding both team-based and individual activities, the program empowers kids to stay engaged, feel supported, and build meaningful connections with peers and mentors.
Applications open each July and remain open through mid-August. Children selected for the program are notified by the end of August—just in time for fall activities to begin.
With Fall JOY, families don’t have to choose between healing and participation. Kids get the chance to show up, belong, and thrive—right where they’re meant to be.
What is Fall Joy?
Fall JOY is more than just a scholarship — it’s a way to keep children connected to what brings them happiness, purpose, and community. Through your generosity, our What Brings You JOY Activity Scholarships help kids stay engaged in the extracurriculars, sports, and hobbies they love most. Whether it’s dance, art, soccer, or music, these opportunities foster confidence, connection, and JOY — all year long. Each scholarship provides funding for sports, arts, camps, lessons, and other extracurricular activities for an entire year — helping children reconnect with joy and community after losing a parent. Together, we’re helping children thrive in the moments that matter.
Past Fall JOY Recipient Testimonials
"You have no idea how much this allowed my grandchildren to heal? What a blessing The Joy Mission has been."
-Anonymous
"God bless The Joy Mission. We will pay it forward and hope to give back to this org someday soon."
Briana Ross
Psalm 118:24
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Nehemiah 8:10
Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.
Ecclesiastes 3:1,4
He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him.
Cameron
Joy = Painting
For Camryn, painting has become more than just a creative outlet — it’s how she processes both her grief and her joy. After losing her mom in 2021, Camryn turned to art to express emotions words couldn’t reach. Through Fall Joy, The Joy Mission helped fund a special art auction where Camryn was able to showcase and sell her deeply personal, grief-inspired pieces. Her artwork not only honors her mother’s memory, but also celebrates the joy that creativity continues to bring her.
The McGee's
Joy = Football & Cheerleading
For the McGee family, fall joy looks like long Saturdays at the football field — cheering from the sidelines, playing under the lights, and making memories as a team. After the loss of their parent, Fall Joy stepped in to cover the costs of their 2024 football and cheer season, giving them the chance to stay active, connected, and supported through the sport they love. The field has become a place of healing, laughter, and joy — and that’s exactly what this season is all about.
Mia
Joy = Gymnastics & Cheerleading
Mia lights up any room with her energy — whether she’s flipping through gymnastics practice, leading a cheer, or just goofing around with her friends. After losing a parent, The Joy Mission helped open the door to something new: cheerleading. Through Fall Joy, Mia discovered a passion that’s grown into a source of confidence, connection, and fun. Today, the sidelines are her happy place — filled with laughter, movement, and the joy of being exactly where she belongs.
Kayden
Joy = Soccer
For Kayden, joy lives in the goal box. Being a goalie isn’t just a position — it’s his passion, his focus, and his way of feeling strong and seen. After the loss of a parent, The Joy Mission stepped in through Fall Joy to cover a full year of travel soccer and a specialized goalie camp. That support allowed Kayden to keep chasing his dreams, building his skills, and finding joy in every save, every game, and every moment on the field.
How To Support Those Dealing with
Grief During Summer Break
Supporting someone through grief during summer break—a time often filled with family traditions, vacations, and joyful memories—can make a quiet but lasting difference.
For many, the season highlights the absence of a loved one in unexpected ways, making ordinary moments feel especially tender.
Simply being there—listening without needing to fix, oering space for memories, or sitting together in silence—can be profoundly comforting.
Acts of practical help, like dropping off a meal, watching the kids for an afternoon, or running a quick errand, may ease their load more than you realize.
Small, thoughtful gestures—a kind note, an open invitation, or a check-in just to say you’re thinking of them—can oer warmth and reassurance.
Your presence, patience, and care can help them feel a little less alone during a season that can quietly magnify their grief.
Apply For Fall Joy here.
We’re here for you—please don’t hesitate to contact us if you need extra support.
Apply for
JOY
Do you know a child who has experienced the death of a parent and needs some joy?
The Joy Mission wants to bring JOY to children surviving the death of a parent(s). We need your help to refer a child.
