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The New York Life Foundation in action Discover how we’re making an impact

For almost 50 years, the New York Life Foundation has delivered the care and resources families and communities need most. We drive research, lead initiatives , and build partnerships that make support easy to find and help people build stronger futures.

Stories that inspire

Explore how our partners and programs are strengthening communities and bringing hope to those in need.

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Explore our latest initiatives

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The Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model

One in 11 children will lose a parent or sibling by age 18—a number that doubles by age 25. In partnership with Judi’s House/JAG Institute, we use data and research to understand the impact of childhood bereavement across the country, empowering caring adults to advocate for their communities

Build a custom childhood bereavement report
Teacher and student in front of class

Children's Collaborative

Through research and investment, the New York Life Foundation identified critical gaps in how grieving families are supported. In response, we helped launch the Children’s Collaborative—a first-of-its-kind initiative that connects bereaved families with care early and effectively.


Piloting in Utah, the Collaborative bridges policy, data, and compassion by adding a simple checkbox on death certificates to identify surviving children, so that families are linked to timely grief and community resources. This small but powerful change is transforming how communities recognize and respond to loss.

Learn more about the pilot program

Grief-Sensitive Healthcare Project

Grief Sensitive Healthcare Project Logo

As part of our mission to meet people where they are—and where they most often seek care and comfort—the New York Life Foundation recognizes that healthcare professionals play a vital role in supporting grieving individuals and families. Yet many receive little or no grief-specific training during their education or practice.

 

To address this gap, the Foundation has partnered with the Yale Child Study Center and Child Bereavement UK to develop specialized resources and trainings that help healthcare providers integrate grief-sensitivity into their daily practice. Covering topics such as end-of-life care, communicating about death, and supporting families through different types of loss, this initiative empowers medical professionals to offer care that is both clinically sound and deeply compassionate

Learn more about the project
Four books from Kai’s Journey book series

Kai's Journey - Lost in the Middle

The Kai's Journey book series depicts the experience of the death of a loved one and models what positive support can look like for children in elementary and middle school. Books are available for free and include accompanying discussion guides.

Explore the book series

Giving by state

With guidance from our workforce, New York Life and its Foundation make philanthropic investments in each state to help support community engagement.

Choose a state to see its charitable giving.

Join the conversation

Explore resources and insights on the issues that shape our work—from education and bereavement to community and workforce engagement.

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