KANSAS CITY, Mo — A local organization centered in the heart of Kansas City is shining a light for families grappling with the devastating effects of substance abuse.
Grief Recovery After a Substance Passing (GRASP), is dedicated to helping those who have lost a loved one to drugs or addiction, is making a profound impact on the community. Dawn Owens lost her son back in 2020 due to addiction, while living in Connecticut, that's where she found the support group GRASP.
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“I moved back to Kansas City. I thought it was time for me to try to find another GRASP group. There was none here in the area. I reached out and found out that there was none and then reached out to JFS to see if they would be willing to host the group, and then reached out to Laura," said Owens.
So along with Laura Bratt who also had a personal experience of loosing her mother and husband, opened a GRASP chapter for others to find that support.
"It took a while, it took a lot of conversations, and then we decided that this would be a really important and really good thing," said Bratt.
GRASP was established with the goal of helping those left behind after losses involving substance abuse, so it is aware of the particular difficulties that families encounter. The organization, which is based on empathy, provides a safe space where people can talk about their losses, make connections with other people who have gone through similar experiences and start the healing process.
“Addiction has infiltrated all levels of our society, all parts of our cities, our homes," said Bratt.
The organization hosts support group meetings once a month, where participants find understanding and compassion from others who share their pain. These gatherings provide a vital opportunity for families to express their emotions openly, free from judgment and gain valuable insights into coping with the difficulty of grief.
“When you've lost someone, you feel like your life is over and just making that one effort to try to find some place takes a lot of energy and a lot of courage," said Owens.
But this organization has impacted lives, becoming a pillar of support for dozens of families in our community.
"When people walk in for the first time, I think they feel that they're amongst somebody who understands," said Owens. "Sharing their story really does help unburden them, at least I believe, helps them to move forward, even if it's a quarter of an inch, of giving them some insight, knowing that they're not alone.”
GRASP is not only focused on providing direct support but also aims to break the stigma surrounding substance abuse. A stigma not allowing families to cope properly.
"The stigma associated with losing somebody to addiction, the why didn't you do enough for your loved one is really prevalent. And I really felt like I needed to find a group that didn't have those judgments," said Owens.
The meetings happen once a month at the Jewish Family Services. You can find more information on GRASP through their website.
