Comfort through a Collage & Poem

Lexi from Pennsylvania created a photo collage and wrote a poem in spanish for a friend who had lost their grandmother to COVID-19.

Lexi was left unemployed due to COVID-19 and business restructuring . As part of the inaugural class of our Unemployment Transition Program, Lexi chose to complete her capstone project to help a close friend who lost her grandmother to COVID-19. Her goal was to provide comfort to her friend by creating a tangible memorial item for her friend.

Lessons Learned

Q. How do you feel this project affected the family or individual you helped? 

 My friend asked me to create something that would remind me of their grandmother (who sadly passed of COVID this summer) and whom I had talked to on the phone across the years but I had never had the chance to meet in person. My friend is still harboring feelings of anger over her death as they felt powerless (as many of us did) to help without hurting our loved ones.

Q. How did the project help you?

I decided to make a collage, because I used to make them all of the time in high school and I literally have not touched the medium since. I don’t know why I gave up this creative side of myself, but I know that I used to have some talent in it. 

I also decided to brush up on my Spanish skills and write a poem/prayer card to include with my collage- I did this as my friend’s grandmother was from Mexico. This project benefited me greatly as much as I think it will benefit my friend when I send it to them for Christmas. 

Q. What advice would you give to other people who are comforting a bereaved family/individual? 

I would advise other people who are comforting a bereaved family or individual to realize that you can actually help people- no matter how small you think your contribution is- or how talented/untalented you think you are- you can help. Also, help does not ever have to be monetarily.

Lexi graduated from our October 2020 Cohort with Distinction.

If you or someone you know is unemployed due to Covid-19, see if our Unemployment Transition Program is right for you. Additionally, if you have lost a loved one to COVID-19 and would like to be a recipient of one of our participant’s capstone project, please look at our Bereavement Support Page to sign up.