Grief is a hard pill to swallow. We help families carry it.
The Sean Van Hoesen Jr. Foundation was created to support grieving parents, children, and families, raise awareness around mental health, addiction, and emotionally abusive relationships, and use storytelling as a tool for healing and connection. Through community partnerships, advocacy, and creative expression, we honor loss while building pathways toward hope.
Sean Van Hoesen Jr. Foundation
The Sean Van Hoesen Jr. Foundation is a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to supporting grieving families and children through storytelling, advocacy, and community-based healing. Founded after the loss of Sean Van Hoesen Jr., the foundation uses lived experience and creative expression — including the stageplay Midlife Cry-Sis — to address grief, addiction, emotional abuse, and mental health awareness. Our work creates safe spaces for honest dialogue, remembrance, and healing within the community.
Mission
To support grieving families and children through storytelling, community engagement, and advocacy focused on mental health, addiction recovery, and emotional wellness.
Vision
A world where grief is acknowledged, supported, and met with empathy rather than silence — and where loss does not have to be carried alone.
Values
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Healing through truth
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Community-centered care
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Mental health awareness
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Compassion over judgment
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Honoring legacy through action
Who We Are
The Sean Van Hoesen Jr. Foundation was founded by Ericka Smith in honor of her son, Sean Van Hoesen Jr.
After the sudden and tragic loss of her son, Ericka experienced firsthand the isolation, silence, and emotional weight that so many grieving parents and families endure. In the aftermath of loss, she turned to storytelling — not only as a means of survival, but as a way to transform pain into purpose.
What began as personal healing evolved into Midlife Cry-Sis, a stageplay rooted in real-life experiences of grief, addiction, emotionally abusive relationships, and resilience. The foundation exists to extend that healing beyond the stage — into communities, families, and spaces where grief is often misunderstood or ignored.
This foundation stands for honesty, remembrance, and compassion — especially for parents, children, and loved ones navigating loss.
Initiatives
Our Focus
Healing Through Storytelling & Performing Arts
We believe storytelling is medicine.
Through stage plays, dramatic readings, and immersive performances, we create safe spaces for communities to process grief, loss, identity, and survival. Our productions are rooted in real-life experiences and are designed to spark dialogue, emotional release, and collective healing.
Includes:
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Mission-driven stage plays and community performances
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Post-show discussions and healing circles
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Collaborations with community venues, schools, and faith-based organizations
Youth Drama & Creative Expression ProgramChildren and teens need tools to express what they cannot yet explain.We partner with elementary schools, youth programs, and community centers to introduce drama-based activities that teach:•Storytelling and creative writing•Screenwriting fundamentals•Acting and performance basics•Filmmaking and visual storytellingAll programs are trauma-informed and designed to help young people process emotions, build confidence, and find their voice through creativity.
Creative Healing for Adults
Healing doesn’t stop with childhood.
We provide creative workshops for adults experiencing:
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Grief and bereavement
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Emotional trauma
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Life transitions and identity shifts
Participants explore writing, storytelling, and artistic expression as tools for self-discovery, release, and renewal.
Wellness, Nutrition & Natural Healing Education
Healing the mind also means caring for the body.
Inspired by alkaline and plant-based principles, including Dr. Sebi–influenced approaches, we offer workshops focused on:
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Healthy eating and natural food education
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Alkaline-inspired cooking demonstrations
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Simple, affordable wellness practices
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Understanding the connection between nutrition, grief, and emotional health
These sessions are educational, accessible, and culturally relevant — not prescriptive or clinical.
Grief Support & Life After Loss Workshops
Learning Support
Grief is a hard pill to swallow — but no one should swallow it alone.
We host guided workshops and group sessions for children, teens, and adults navigating life after the loss of a loved one. These gatherings focus on:
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Understanding grief and its many stages
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Learning how to live with loss, not around it
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Building coping tools for daily life
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Creating supportive community connections
Our approach honors each person’s journey without judgment or timelines.
Community Collaboration & Outreach
We do not heal in isolation.
Our foundation actively collaborates with:
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Schools and youth organizations
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Mental health and grief support groups
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Addiction recovery and wellness organizations
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Community venues and cultural institutions
Through partnerships, we expand access to healing resources and create sustainable impact.