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New Hope for Kids Press Release: Retirement Announcement

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National Leader in Children’s Grief Services Network Announces Retirement from Central Florida’s New Hope for Kids

Organization Begins Transition to Interim Leadership, Launches National Search

Maitland, Florida (March 21, 2023) – Dave Joswick, founding board member and executive director of New Hope for Kids and a national leader in children’s grief services, has announced he will retire at the end of January 2024.

Joswick has been engaged in central Florida’s non-profit community for decades and helped found New Hope for Kids more than 20 years ago to provide free grief services to children who have experienced the death of a loved one and to grant wishes to children with life-shortening health conditions. Under Joswick’s leadership, New Hope for Kids has become one of the preeminent grief services providers in the country, delivering free grief services to more than 9,300 of central Florida’s children and granting 1,720 wishes.

Spotlight on our Executive Director, Dave Joswick

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We’re shining a much-deserved spotlight on Dave this month as we celebrate his 80th birthday.

Dave’s journey to New Hope for Kids began in 1980 when he joined the board of Hospice of Central Florida. He had been serving for 6 years when his life was changed forever. Dave describes his loss, “On June 21, 1986 my world fell apart when my 16 year old son John died. After grieving John’s death for months it occurred to me that I had to find some good in his death or the pain of grief would continue the rest of my life. So, I started praying to find the good.”

2021 Dr. Alan Saffran Scholarship Recipients

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The crowd at this year’s Art of the Vine fundraiser was touched by Pam Saffran’s words as she talked about the scholarship honoring her late husband, Dr. Alan J. Saffran. She shared that the passion Alan had for education was the reason behind the decision she and their children had for creating such a fund. As they were grieving his death, Pam, Miles, Nat and Bella learned about New Hope for Kids’ mission to help grieving children. It felt like the perfect fit as it would offer help for college when the possibility of attending might have seemed impossible after their loss.

This year’s recipients were exceptional, and their applications were impressive. Tamari Miller, New Hope for Kids’ Grief Program Director, proudly introduced this year’s recipients as each received their $2,000 scholarship check. All four had come

A Grateful New BMW Winner!

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A common thread links New Hope for Kids and Emily Bienvenu. That thread is the importance of helping people. Emily’s great-uncle Andy Wootten encouraged his family to be grateful for their blessings, and to realize that others, especially children, might need help sometimes. His gratitude-in-action was a living example of how to make a difference in the lives of others, and Emily took it to heart.

Several years ago, Emily found New Hope for Kids and began supporting our mission by

Joel Jones

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Joel Jones, one of the founders of New Hope for Kids, died Sunday, September 12, 2021 after a brief illness. His passion for helping children and his awareness of the need for support created a vision of a nonprofit that could help families dealing with some of life’s most difficult challenges. As director of Children’s Wish, and then executive director of New Hope for Kids, Joel was able to put that passion to work, helping countless families as they dealt with terminal illness and grief. Joel will be fondly remembered by many who worked and volunteered with him, as well as by the families he touched with his compassion and dedicated service to his community. Joel’s service will be held at Woodlawn Cemetery in Gotha this Sunday, September 26, 2021. Visitation at 11am, service at noon, followed by reception.