Fridays 10:00am - 11:00am (EDT)
EPISODE SUMMARY:
The mental health needs of children and teens has been a topic with increased attention and discussion in recent years. SIBSPlace has been providing preventative mental health care to vulnerable children and families for 25 years and our knowledge in how to encourage children to increase self-awareness, promote expression of feelings and develop coping skills can be beneficial to all.
💛 This Friday on Philanthropy in Phocus with Tommy DiMisa #InTheAttic
Join us for a heartfelt and important conversation with Joanna Formont, Executive Director of SIBSPlace, a free program supporting children ages 5–17 who are coping with the illness or loss of a sibling or parent. An affiliate of Mount Sinai South Nassau, SIBSPlace has been a safe space for healing, self-expression, and connection for over 25 years. 🧒🎨
This week, we explore “Holding Space for Grief and Growth.” Joanna shares how SIBSPlace uses expressive arts and therapeutic peer support to help children navigate the complex emotional impact of illness and loss—and how our communities can show up for them with compassion and care.
🕙 Tune in Friday, May 23rd at 10 AM EST for insights on mental health, childhood grief, and how prevention, empathy, and creativity can help families heal. 🎧
✨ Why listen?
- Learn how SIBSPlace supports children through anticipatory grief and bereavement
- Understand how illness impacts the entire family—and how to help
- Be inspired by 25 years of community-based healing and emotional resilience
Organization: SIBSPlace, an affiliate of Mount Sinai South Nassau
Website: sibsplace.org
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sibsplaceinc/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sibsplaceinc/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joanna-formont-lmhc-2471128/
#PhilanthropyInPhocus #SIBSPlace #ChildhoodGrief #MentalHealthMatters #ExpressiveArtsTherapy #TommyDiMisa #InTheAttic
Tune in for this sensible conversation at TalkRadio.nyc
On this episode of Philanthropy in Phocus, Tommy D speaks with Joanna Formont, Executive Director of SIBS Place, about her 21-year journey supporting children coping with trauma and grief. Joanna reflects on the early experiences that led her to prioritize therapeutic play and emotional safety for children, highlighting the profound impact of empathetic listening and safe storytelling spaces. Together, they explore the importance of compassion, the universality of trauma, and the urgent need to normalize seeking mental health support.
Joanna Formont shares the evolution of SIBS Place from a small program in a hospital basement to an independent nonprofit that supports children coping with a sibling’s or parent’s serious illness. She explains how listening to community needs led to expanding the mission to include children of parents with cancer—filling a critical gap in services. Joanna also reflects on her own journey from assistant coordinator to executive director, highlighting the multifaceted nature of nonprofit leadership and the power of compassion and partnership in service delivery.
Joanna Formont highlights the emotional complexities children face when a sibling or parent is seriously ill or has passed away, explaining how SIBS Place creates a safe, supportive space for kids to express feelings, develop coping skills, and feel understood. Through art, group activities, and therapeutic conversations, children build resilience and discover they are not alone in their experiences. The program’s trauma-informed approach offers structure, community, and emotional tools that empower young participants and their families during extremely difficult times.
Joanna Formont shares how mindfulness practices like breathwork, guided imagery, and gratitude stones help children at SIBS Place develop healthy emotional regulation and a sense of grounding amid trauma. She also highlights the upcoming Camp SIBS program, which offers enriching field trips and cultural outings that reinforce children’s self-confidence, resilience, and sense of normalcy. The organization provides free, ongoing support for children and families from diagnosis through bereavement, ensuring no one has to face serious illness or loss alone.
00:00:52.930 --> 00:00:53.620 Tommy DiMisa: Cold
00:00:53.830 --> 00:01:10.920 Tommy DiMisa: philanthropy in focus. That's what a Ph. In front. But you know that by now, if you've been hanging out here checking this out every single Friday morning I come up 2 flights up from where I get my coffee from the kitchen just below the roof of the house in my attic.
00:01:11.180 --> 00:01:12.180 Tommy DiMisa: and
00:01:12.300 --> 00:01:40.489 Tommy DiMisa: it's my honor it's my privilege to get to meet with leaders of nonprofit organizations and help them tell their story and amplify their messages. And that's what I'm all about. So last night it was a bit of amplification of messages I'm going to read to you, warrior, a battle against trauma learning to love and trust. Again. I was out at the Suffolk Theater in Riverhead with Warrior ranch foundation congratulations to Eileen Shanahan and Danielle Alto Brando.
00:01:40.490 --> 00:01:53.560 Tommy DiMisa: the filmmakers who created this important documentary speaking about Ptsd. Speaking about veterans that their organization has served, and speaking about this horse named Warrior. That was a life changing horse for so many.
00:01:53.980 --> 00:02:06.520 Tommy DiMisa: and I got to be the Mc. I got to be the guy on stage doing the introductions, and, as I like to say sometimes the straw that stirs the drink a little bit, and it was a touching experience to be there. Shout out to my collaborator.
00:02:07.810 --> 00:02:36.440 Tommy DiMisa: Melissa and Gino from Grit and Grace, who hooked me up with one of her sweatshirts. But I got to tell you gang, you know me and my Hoodies Warrior Ranch got 2 versions. Check it out if you're watching 2 versions of the Warrior Ranch foundation hoodies, you know, when you got a black and maroon Hoodie in front of you, and you can't make a decision when you're Tommy D. You buy both. That's the thing. If they had 4 colors I would have bought all 4. That's just how it is, you know, I was thinking, Joanna Form, I was thinking this morning I was like
00:02:36.480 --> 00:03:01.230 Tommy DiMisa: Dude. You're going to do so many episodes of this show. What are you gonna do with all the hoodies, from all the nonprofits that you keep purchasing, and and sometimes somebody's like, tell me. Just take this, wear this Hoodie, and then I write a check. But it's just like it's so funny because I can't help myself when it gets to this type of stuff. And I was thinking I was thinking about this actually, last night driving home from Riverhead to where I live in Nassau County and going.
00:03:01.500 --> 00:03:21.310 Tommy DiMisa: I don't have a sibs place, Hoodie. I don't have any sibs place swag, and I was like we got to fix that. So what does he talk about Joanna, executive director of Sibs Place, my new friend. We met through the Long Island. Imagine awards, vanguard benefits. You know we came out. We did a video the whole thing, my friend, good morning. How are you.
00:03:21.770 --> 00:03:26.000 Joanna Formont: I'm good, thank you. And I think we could solve that Hoodie problem.
00:03:26.000 --> 00:03:27.810 Tommy DiMisa: Good out, good. Good. Cause yeah.
00:03:27.810 --> 00:03:28.160 Joanna Formont: Yes.
00:03:28.160 --> 00:03:31.930 Tommy DiMisa: Because your boy is known to to have a bit of a hoodie addiction. If there's such a thing.
00:03:32.550 --> 00:03:41.150 Tommy DiMisa: I think there is such a thing. So I really, this show is all about you. It's about your organization. It's about
00:03:41.500 --> 00:04:02.840 Tommy DiMisa: telling the important stories of Sib's place. Why, it exists, but it really starts out with like, I always say. And we've talked about this earlier this week starts out with your story because I used to watch a show on A and E called biography. And I love that show. And you know, now, I watch a lot of things on Youtube stories of people, and I remember, like
00:04:02.840 --> 00:04:19.019 Tommy DiMisa: I think you and I are too young to really know this program. But there used to be a show called like this is your life, and it would be like Joanna Forma. This is your life, and it would be like people from like all different walks of life, and it'd be like I was your second grade teacher. Hello! There!
00:04:19.029 --> 00:04:19.409 Joanna Formont: Okay.
00:04:19.410 --> 00:04:23.719 Tommy DiMisa: Remember me, and it'll be like stuff like that. So we're not going to do all that today. It's not that kind of show.
00:04:23.840 --> 00:04:32.540 Tommy DiMisa: but it is this is your life, this is your journey. And ultimately we talk about Sip's place and the great work the organization is doing. How does that sound for you?
00:04:32.990 --> 00:04:34.759 Joanna Formont: Sounds. Great. Sounds. Good. Yeah.
00:04:34.900 --> 00:04:36.870 Tommy DiMisa: Cool, because that's the only plan I had so.
00:04:36.870 --> 00:04:39.399 Joanna Formont: Good me, too. I can talk about myself.
00:04:39.400 --> 00:04:40.369 Tommy DiMisa: Let's take a.
00:04:40.370 --> 00:04:41.270 Joanna Formont: It's okay.
00:04:41.270 --> 00:04:46.090 Tommy DiMisa: Where does it start? Where? Where does it start? You know, I mean, you've been there for 21 years right.
00:04:46.140 --> 00:04:47.550 Joanna Formont: 21 years.
00:04:47.550 --> 00:04:50.630 Tommy DiMisa: One year. So so let's take me back. Take me on your journey, please.
00:04:50.630 --> 00:05:15.060 Joanna Formont: Right, so pretty much right out of graduate school I started working with the not for profit world. I was working in Manhattan with victims of domestic violence, and I found myself. I was working with the adults in that situation, and it was actually immigrant families. So, as I was working with them in my downtime. They didn't have someone to, I guess, provide childcare for the children while their moms were in therapy.
00:05:15.180 --> 00:05:21.829 Joanna Formont: and so when we had a moment I had an affinity towards children. Although I was doing adult work, I would
00:05:21.870 --> 00:05:44.949 Joanna Formont: babysit the kids, and we had a very small closet. That was our play therapy room with everybody's leftover toys that they donated to the space and broken up crayons. So it wasn't that it was a thought out children's program. But what came of it in working with these children was the realization that through play and through art and through just being able to be a present body for them.
00:05:44.950 --> 00:06:09.939 Joanna Formont: You know, they could communicate their trauma while their parents were also talking about their domestic violence journey, and you know it was a powerful moment for me. I had a Spanish speaking little girl, 4 or 5 years old, who in her play was able to detail for me this night, where the police came, and her dad was arrested, and all this trauma that she experienced that she verbally couldn't share with me because of her language and my language barrier, but I was able to see it all through her play, and that for me, was
00:06:09.940 --> 00:06:18.510 Joanna Formont: my turning point, where I knew I wanted to work with children. And I did that for 3 years. I started a children's program at that, not for profit in the city. And then.
00:06:18.510 --> 00:06:35.290 Joanna Formont: when it came time to kind of relocate myself to Long Island. I found SIM's place, and I've been here ever since, and it just was a natural kind of extension of what I was already doing. It's, you know, helping children during a traumatic time of their lives and helping provide support.
00:06:35.290 --> 00:06:47.402 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, thank you for that. And and so many things come up for me when you talk about trauma. And and I'm on this mission. I'm on this campaign. In fact, after we finish the show, I head over to the studio to do an episode of
00:06:48.400 --> 00:06:50.709 Tommy DiMisa: hashtag ending the stigma together.
00:06:51.130 --> 00:07:02.310 Tommy DiMisa: And last night in watching this movie, I was taken by the movie, not because I've served in any sort of I'm not a veteran. I haven't served in the military. I have many friends who have.
00:07:03.640 --> 00:07:05.930 Tommy DiMisa: and I'm a human person.
00:07:06.590 --> 00:07:20.280 Tommy DiMisa: and I believe we all have experienced trauma. I know we all have, and that's what that hashtag ending the stigma program is about in a lot of ways. It's about addressing the fact that I believe we need to normalize these conversations as it relates to
00:07:21.540 --> 00:07:37.860 Tommy DiMisa: getting and seeking therapy and support. If that's what somebody needs. I mean, I flagrantly tell everybody that I'm in therapy, and I see my therapist twice a week, and some people might go like too much. Tmi. No, it isn't, really. It's actually I'm not telling you what we're talking about.
00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:47.710 Tommy DiMisa: I'm telling you that I, as an adult man, go and see somebody. Why don't go? I see Sean on Zoom, you know what? Not exactly, zoom, but on a video thing. And
00:07:48.430 --> 00:08:00.880 Tommy DiMisa: that is life changing for me. And I think it's life changing to hear somebody say that. And then I tell people I'm sober almost 15 years, and I think that's life changing and maybe somewhat inspiring. So I'm on that stage yesterday, and I and I said,
00:08:02.450 --> 00:08:03.630 Tommy DiMisa: I have this quote.
00:08:04.820 --> 00:08:09.590 Tommy DiMisa: Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about.
00:08:09.940 --> 00:08:12.799 Tommy DiMisa: Be kind always.
00:08:13.400 --> 00:08:21.699 Tommy DiMisa: And I said that last night, and I was very, very focused on not making it anything about me. It wasn't a Tommy D show it was. I was there to just be there right? And and
00:08:21.820 --> 00:08:23.430 Tommy DiMisa: but I said that quote.
00:08:23.790 --> 00:08:28.310 Tommy DiMisa: and I wasn't sure if I was going to say that quote after the film. But I did, and
00:08:28.710 --> 00:08:37.079 Tommy DiMisa: a couple grab me after the Q&A and everything. And we're very appreciative of just saying that because the woman said, it reminds me, Tommy, of
00:08:37.350 --> 00:08:44.240 Tommy DiMisa: how we need to approach people, and I said, Listen, I don't remember her name, but let's pretend it was, Mary. I said, Mary.
00:08:44.890 --> 00:08:59.710 Tommy DiMisa: I don't do that every day I try like. I don't live by that every day I do my best to. So if it's inspirational to you, and if it's inspirational to someone who's finding this video somewhere, Joanna, you know it's about, I believe we all have experienced trauma. And it's about
00:09:00.080 --> 00:09:04.620 Tommy DiMisa: compassion and love and connection. And as you were telling that story.
00:09:05.040 --> 00:09:14.900 Tommy DiMisa: seeing that little girl, whatever playing with figurines or playing with little toys to express to you the trauma she'd experienced.
00:09:15.340 --> 00:09:21.639 Tommy DiMisa: that impacted your life all these 20, some odd years later. You're still, and you're still telling that story.
00:09:21.940 --> 00:09:23.470 Tommy DiMisa: and I'm sure
00:09:24.140 --> 00:09:36.120 Tommy DiMisa: she may not remember playing with those toys, but I'm sure the interaction that you and she had impacted her life because she felt there was someone who cared. And there was that connection and that level of support.
00:09:36.200 --> 00:09:54.809 Tommy DiMisa: And I'm a big mush, and I get you know this is not. This is not not Oprah here. Maybe it is. Maybe it's similar, but it's but it's not. It's it's like I'm just. I go from what's what's coming out for me. And that's what came up for me as you were telling that story, because I'm still reflecting on on the special night I had last night. So
00:09:56.330 --> 00:10:02.420 Tommy DiMisa: did you know that you were going to like when you were younger?
00:10:03.610 --> 00:10:10.590 Tommy DiMisa: Were you the person as a child people would come to and connect with and tell stories, because I find there's
00:10:11.018 --> 00:10:15.149 Tommy DiMisa: I've been in sales my whole life. I was a bartender for many years before that.
00:10:15.940 --> 00:10:17.260 Tommy DiMisa: and I've always had this
00:10:18.210 --> 00:10:23.540 Tommy DiMisa: uncanny situation where people come to me and like, tell me things and are open and
00:10:23.780 --> 00:10:37.499 Tommy DiMisa: part of it, I think, is because I listen. Part of it is because I'm curious. I don't know. Maybe that's just the vibes, you know. So in your world? Was there something similar for you like that where you always were? That person that people went to.
00:10:38.290 --> 00:11:03.250 Joanna Formont: 100%. I was always the, you know, the go to person when a friend was having a bad day, or if there was a fight going on between a friend group. I was the fixer, you know, trying to negotiate and have everyone's feelings be heard. So I think I knew from a very early age. I wanted to go into the mental health field. When I went to college I was the psychology major, and then just went straight ahead to get my master's right after that, but I think it comes down to, you know, and you sharing your story
00:11:03.250 --> 00:11:27.360 Joanna Formont: with everybody everybody wants to share their story. They want to feel heard right. Everyone has this tale to tell. They want to be able to tell their personal story and have somebody listening to them, not ready to one up them with their tale. Right? So I think just by being an empathetic listener. You know, we could do that in our everyday life, and by sharing our struggles or challenges that we face like you did last night, Tommy, like it just allows people to feel
00:11:27.360 --> 00:11:53.229 Joanna Formont: validated and normalizes it if they've gone through similar experiences. And that's exactly what we do at Zips Place. We provide these children with the space to tell their story. What's going on in their lives right now? They're, you know, coping with something unimaginable. A parent or sibling is diagnosed with cancer. They have maybe lost a parent, or sibling to an illness or another, an accident, or any other type of loss, and they want to be able to tell their story in a safe space, and that's what we provide for them here.
00:11:53.230 --> 00:12:02.336 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, yeah, thank you. And thank you for reflecting back on me. You're that level of being an empathetic listener. And and that connection I, you know I found out
00:12:02.850 --> 00:12:06.605 Tommy DiMisa: He's tragically a very good friend. I just found this out this morning. Friend of mine.
00:12:07.020 --> 00:12:18.090 Tommy DiMisa: brother, passed away out on the West Coast in a in a terrible accident, and I haven't had the opportunity. I found this out 45 min ago, and I haven't had the opportunity to call her just yet. And it happened yesterday morning.
00:12:19.800 --> 00:12:32.059 Tommy DiMisa: And that's how life is. It's like it's that fleeting. And this was a 42 year old man who's no longer with us. And that's like this is it's happened to make like pretty big news because of who this individual is.
00:12:32.730 --> 00:12:38.060 Tommy DiMisa: Life is so it moves so freaking fast, and it could be over in a blink, and and
00:12:38.910 --> 00:12:48.339 Tommy DiMisa: all the stuff and the drama and the bridges like the burn bridges and the crap between people. God, I mean, I'm thinking about people in my life that I need to call today
00:12:48.600 --> 00:12:51.720 Tommy DiMisa: to amend some things because
00:12:51.950 --> 00:13:05.000 Tommy DiMisa: I don't know what tomorrow is. I don't know if we're here, you know, and that's that's just a reflection, you know. Gang, if you if listen, if you pay attention to this show, you know it's just gonna be raw and open, and we're going to go where we go, where the conversation leads us, and that's what's happening this morning, for sure.
00:13:05.970 --> 00:13:26.819 Joanna Formont: It's interesting. You say that I was running a bereavement group just this week on Wednesday, and that was our topic of conversation is that nobody knows more than someone impacted by illness or loss directly. That you know tomorrow is a gift. You're not guaranteed it. So you have to just really treasure the moment, and to be in a group with a group of individuals who are parenting children who have experienced a loss, who they themselves are mourning, a loss.
00:13:26.820 --> 00:13:39.319 Joanna Formont: and then to have a sense of appreciation and gratitude for the day for today, and that they're here for their children, you know. That's inspiring for me. That's what gets me through my day. That's what allows me to come and do this job, because.
00:13:39.320 --> 00:13:43.586 Joanna Formont: you know, they're willing to put in the work they want to talk about what's going on. But they also.
00:13:43.800 --> 00:13:55.180 Joanna Formont: eventually you're able to get to a place of hope and gratitude and really just embrace the moment, and I think that's a lesson that I carry into my my life. You know it puts things in perspective for you, for sure.
00:13:55.450 --> 00:14:00.990 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I hear everything you're saying, and thank you for being so open with with your own life, because honestly.
00:14:01.580 --> 00:14:08.139 Tommy DiMisa: we do plan for the future. We all do. We have visions of like, you know what it's gonna be like. And you know.
00:14:08.390 --> 00:14:22.530 Tommy DiMisa: we're going to be, you know, on the on the. I actually have a swing on our porch. But you're gonna be rocking on that porch, swing with like country time lemonade. And like, you know, you can't get up because you're arthritis, maybe.
00:14:22.630 --> 00:14:41.209 Tommy DiMisa: or maybe you're not, you know. Or maybe you know, maybe that relationship that you thought you'd grow old together isn't going to be there because I mean, we have a friend who tragically lost her husband. Pancreatic cancer at 41, 42 years old. This is life, man, this is what this is, what it is. So in the moments. Be grateful. Be here if you're
00:14:41.500 --> 00:14:59.540 Tommy DiMisa: if you need to reach out to somebody. This is my big thing. Reach out check in on people loving compassion. I say it all the time. All right, we we are going to go to a quick break. Tommy's a big mush already. We haven't even started the show yet. We're ready. We're here, Joanna. I want to. I want to get into when we come back from Break Sib's place.
00:15:00.140 --> 00:15:10.970 Tommy DiMisa: the creation of this organization, I was blessed to come for a visit recently leading up to the Long island. Imagine awards. And we did a video. And you took me on a tour. And
00:15:11.424 --> 00:15:19.829 Tommy DiMisa: the funny thing about being me. I was, gonna say, the funny thing about being Tommy D. But the funny thing is, I want to come back again again and again and again.
00:15:20.020 --> 00:15:22.160 Tommy DiMisa: The and the challenging part is like.
00:15:22.350 --> 00:15:46.369 Tommy DiMisa: I want to do that with each one of my friends at the nonprofit spaces. Because there's that's where I want. That's where my bliss is. It's in this place where I see people like you who are doing this important work. So what it ends up doing in my mind is, oh, I'll just do a whole nother show about that where I just go on location and do these things. But you know what it's inspiring, because I got 24 h in every day, man, and I want to fill them up with good vibes. I was telling this story last night, and then we'll go to break.
00:15:48.510 --> 00:16:04.200 Tommy DiMisa: I'll use a bad word. All that crap gang. It's all there if you want to see it. It's all there. If you want to go see all the negative parts of life in the world, and you can spend your 24 h there, or you can invest your 24 h with people who are making the world a better place. It's a choice
00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:14.100 Tommy DiMisa: I choose to hang out with people like Joanna Formont. That's just the way it is gang. So we'll be right back to show us philanthropy in focus. The Kid has a recipe voice, but we will get through it. We'll be right back.
00:17:55.450 --> 00:17:56.730 Tommy DiMisa: Today afternoon I was with Mike.
00:17:59.900 --> 00:18:27.389 Tommy DiMisa: And in a lot of ways a mentor to me Yolanda Urbano Gross was being honored here on Long Island. Yolanda is the CEO of options for community living. And it's so fun when you're with your friends, and they're like looking out for you. And she's like, Oh, my God! You should go on Tommy's show, and I love the song, and I'm going to sing this song, and I've been in the attic, and she has not actually been in the attic, Yolanda. You have not actually, like physically, been in the attic, but, like the shtick, is right, Joanna, in the attic. That's where I do the show.
00:18:27.390 --> 00:18:33.849 Tommy DiMisa: but no one has ever actually been in the attic. One day, maybe, like, I will have a party in the attic for like 3 people.
00:18:33.850 --> 00:18:45.180 Tommy DiMisa: and that will be because it literally it's not a joke. It is an attic. It is a room on the top of my house, but shout out to Yolanda. I love you. Congratulations on your honor, and I love options for community living, and I guess self.
00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:46.883 Tommy DiMisa: How would I say? Selfless?
00:18:47.320 --> 00:18:54.540 Tommy DiMisa: I'm just going to promote something. I'm an Honoree. September 26th at options for community living.
00:18:54.960 --> 00:19:09.479 Tommy DiMisa: murder, mystery event at Captain Bill's out here on Long Island. I tried I was with the the team from options yesterday talking about it. And I said, you need to figure out, how do how many people they could fit in that room, because
00:19:09.680 --> 00:19:21.849 Tommy DiMisa: your boy's got a lot of favors he's owed back. So we're going to take a lot of those favors and bring them to the room on September 26, th and it's a murder mystery event. It's like a Mafia murder, mystery event, and
00:19:21.870 --> 00:19:50.209 Tommy DiMisa: I am not a made man, so I don't know how the night ends, but hopefully I'm still around on September 27.th We'll see how it all goes if I don't get whacked. All right, Joanna. Tommy's being silly. Now, what are we doing? Let's get into Sib's place. Let's talk about this story. I mean, you have been there for so many years of your career. Even I was looking on Linkedin. I mean, this is where it says this is where you've been. You don't even really have a lot of explaining of other things it says, since since oh, 4, you've been in this space. So
00:19:50.820 --> 00:20:01.130 Tommy DiMisa: when you've been there that long, I mean you've been a big part of creating processes, creating culture and and impacting so many lives. So
00:20:01.930 --> 00:20:03.589 Tommy DiMisa: let's tell your story, please.
00:20:04.010 --> 00:20:10.152 Joanna Formont: Fun. Fact, one of my 1st shops was at options for community living. So it all comes full circle today.
00:20:10.460 --> 00:20:12.770 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, you better be in that room with me, because.
00:20:12.770 --> 00:20:15.850 Joanna Formont: No, I just saw that email. So I will. I will save the date.
00:20:15.850 --> 00:20:28.129 Tommy DiMisa: That's good. So I I don't want to get whacked, so I need a lot of protection. I need my friends around me. You know what I'm saying. I'm gonna be in that room just like up against the wall, scoping out the room because I don't know if I'm being set up here. I'm kidding everybody. It's
00:20:28.630 --> 00:20:32.729 Tommy DiMisa: Dick rent a movie check out. Goodfellas. What do you want? All right.
00:20:32.730 --> 00:20:34.700 Joanna Formont: That's obviously let's do it.
00:20:35.010 --> 00:20:58.340 Joanna Formont: It's like, you know, what I love about being here so long is that we have been able to grow the program. When I started it was myself and another woman. She was an executive director, social worker, Suzanne Cornblatt, and we're an affiliate of a hospital and affiliate of Mount Sinai, South Nassau. But we've been able to grow the program. So over our journey, we you know, we obtained our own 501 c. 3. So our own independent, not for profit.
00:20:58.340 --> 00:21:14.910 Joanna Formont: We have established our own board. So that's giving us that sense of governance on our own. And so those are like professionally, you know. 2 things I didn't know I would necessarily do in the mental health world, but that was a challenge that I was able to work with Suzanne on and and achieve for sips place. But
00:21:14.930 --> 00:21:39.899 Joanna Formont: and program wise. We've been able to grow the program as well, and a lot of that is because we listen to the community and what the community needs were. So when the program 1st started the focus, we were in a small little basement in Hewlett, so you did not get to see that space. But we're in a small basement, and it was strictly focused on children that had a sibling with a devastating illness could be cancer, any other devastating illness. And we existed for quite some time with that.
00:21:39.900 --> 00:21:53.799 Joanna Formont: And as we expanded our network and our community awareness. And more people heard about our services. We would get calls on the regular, you know. Well, what happens if there's a parent with a cancer diagnosis. There are no services for them.
00:21:53.800 --> 00:21:59.780 Joanna Formont: And with that we kind of went back to the hospital. We thought to our supporters, our founding donors.
00:21:59.780 --> 00:22:24.669 Joanna Formont: because they, you know, had a mission in mind, and we didn't want to disrespect that. And we said, Can we expand our mission? And we did. And that really changed the game for us. I would say, on more nights than not, we had children coping with a parent's cancer diagnosis, and that's because there are not as many services available for them. There are more services for children who have a sibling who's ill and that's great, and that's completely grown tremendously
00:22:24.870 --> 00:22:34.990 Joanna Formont: organizations like sunrise and kids need more. They're doing great things for children with cancer and their siblings. But when a parent has a cancer diagnosis, there were limited resources. We're able to open that up.
00:22:34.990 --> 00:22:39.070 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, yeah, it makes me think of my, my buddy, Paul Rubin, over at Camp.
00:22:39.070 --> 00:22:39.770 Joanna Formont: Good morning!
00:22:39.770 --> 00:22:41.070 Tommy DiMisa: Oh, Paul. Yeah.
00:22:41.070 --> 00:22:42.140 Joanna Formont: We're good. Yep.
00:22:42.140 --> 00:23:06.263 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, he's been on the program. I haven't spoken to him in a while, sending you my best, Paul, as we lean into spring summer here. I'm sure he's got camp going. Usually I'll I'll shoot out there one day. My dad owns the Ralph's Italian ices in Huntington on New York Avenue for those of you locals next to the Paramount theater and I usually show up at Italian ices at camp, and I bring my dad to a couple of these things. In fact, I met some of my friends last night from Operation. Vest
00:23:06.510 --> 00:23:13.635 Tommy DiMisa: shout out to Jenny, and Stefan Hessler. They have their big operation. Vest walk. The. It's on
00:23:15.090 --> 00:23:23.710 Tommy DiMisa: June 8th Saturday morning out of Long Island. Check that out operation best, but we bring Italian ices, and I make sure my dad is involved with that, because
00:23:24.690 --> 00:23:34.539 Tommy DiMisa: it's 1 thing for me to go in and steal Italian Isis from my dad and bring him to my friends in the nonprofit sector, you know. Was a guy who used to steal from the rich and give to the poor, you know.
00:23:34.540 --> 00:23:36.230 Tommy DiMisa: Oh, Robin Hood.
00:23:36.230 --> 00:23:51.809 Tommy DiMisa: like the Robin Hood of Italian Isis, maybe, but it's 1 thing for that, but it's the other thing for my old man to see he loves when I call him my old man, too. But it's the one thing for my dad to see that in action and see what's actually happening and see the impact. And we should talk about Italian Isis for one night. I'll bring some Isis for the kids.
00:23:51.810 --> 00:23:53.849 Joanna Formont: Yeah, we have a camp in the summer. That'd be a great choice.
00:23:53.850 --> 00:24:19.510 Tommy DiMisa: We will totally make that happen. But I got off track there because I was saying, Paul Rubin, yeah. And I have. I mentioned a friend of mine earlier, and you know her 2 boys went out to Paul's camp when her dad passed a couple of years in a row, and you know, so really, really special. I love how I want to go back to because it sounds like you didn't. You said you didn't expect to be doing certain things, and I think what you were talking about was like kind of establishing
00:24:19.510 --> 00:24:25.969 Tommy DiMisa: the own, like the entity as itself separate and apart from the hospital system. So
00:24:26.331 --> 00:24:37.019 Tommy DiMisa: let's talk about that from, I mean, were, did you come into the organization as the Ed all the years ago or no? So let's talk about that. And then what that transition sort of looked like, because.
00:24:37.020 --> 00:24:37.410 Joanna Formont: Yeah.
00:24:37.410 --> 00:24:44.780 Tommy DiMisa: It's only every day of the week, and all, especially the days that end in y where somebody goes. Hey, Tommy? D. You know I'm going to start a nonprofit, and I go
00:24:45.670 --> 00:24:51.680 Tommy DiMisa: love it! I love it! Heart, heart, heart, with my hands. Here you go, passion, and hold on a sec.
00:24:51.930 --> 00:25:17.870 Tommy DiMisa: What I think maybe it'd be cool to do is look around in the community and try to maybe connect with organizations that might be doing similar work that maybe your idea might become a program of. Never am I trying to discourage anybody from making the world a better place. But we have a lot of organizations who do great work. So anyway, that's a little commercial. If you don't know what I'm talking about, I'll tell you all the time, Joanna. The idea here was, though, this was an affiliation
00:25:18.300 --> 00:25:21.779 Tommy DiMisa: with the hospital system. So let's talk about that. And then
00:25:22.220 --> 00:25:25.949 Tommy DiMisa: how? What? What was your role when you came into the organization. Let's just go there.
00:25:26.190 --> 00:25:42.470 Joanna Formont: So I came in, I believe, as an assistant coordinator. It was a coordinator and an assistant coordinator like I said there was 2 of us that had full time roles. And then we brought in some consultants. And you know, as we expanded our mission, we were able to expand our our staff.
00:25:42.470 --> 00:26:07.369 Joanna Formont: We're very supported by volunteers. So that's always been at the core of that community involvement. So that that is necessary. Because if you're only 2 people, and you have 15 kids in a room. You need that added support. But as we grew the mission we were able to grow our titles and our responsibilities, and you know it had its challenges. But it was also exciting to be part of that business end of the not for profit world, you know, in recent years I'm writing grants.
00:26:07.370 --> 00:26:18.599 Joanna Formont: That was not necessarily something I thought would be on my top 10 things of doing in a day. But I am now, that is, you know, and the fundraising element of it. That is something I've grown into over time, which
00:26:18.790 --> 00:26:43.299 Joanna Formont: you know it's challenging. In a day I might start my day on a call with you, you know, promoting our services like this. And then, as the day goes on, I'm writing a grant, and then. Now it's 3 o'clock, and the kids walk in and I'm running the support groups. And then I'm running a parent group, and then, you know, you might have to pull a child out, and you're having a crisis moment that you have to do a 1 on one with them. So you know, a day looks very different every day.
00:26:43.450 --> 00:27:09.750 Joanna Formont: but that makes it exciting. It makes it challenging. And you know that because I'm delivering that direct care, and we do have a tight staff. You know. We've now grown to 4 full time staff, and that's something I'm really proud of since I've become the executive director. We've been able to grow the program in that way, and we have these talented social worker and a talented mental health counselor. And to our therapists that really are the core of the program. They're the ones delivering the services alongside with me, so we wouldn't exist without them.
00:27:09.750 --> 00:27:34.080 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, yeah, I mean, listen, we know about mighty strong and small teams in our sector. So you know, that's that was always kind of one of the things about this program was, I never wanted this to be okay. We're gonna get the behemoth nonprofits on this program. And and listen. I. I have plenty of organizations that have come in this program that have
00:27:34.120 --> 00:27:56.970 Tommy DiMisa: high budgets and high employee counts and things like that. But that's not what the show is about. The show is about every nonprofit that I know, and that I hang out with, or that somebody in my network connects me with that should come on the show and and have the opportunity to tell their story. However, I don't care if you have 250 employees, or you have 2 employees, most people, as they say. I'm wearing multiple hats. They always. It's always that, you know. It's like the.
00:27:57.060 --> 00:28:07.530 Tommy DiMisa: you know, the same person that is speaking to grant makers is often the same person that might be tidying up the bathroom at the organization.
00:28:07.530 --> 00:28:10.067 Joanna Formont: Literally happened last night. So yes.
00:28:10.490 --> 00:28:17.299 Tommy DiMisa: See I wasn't watching. I didn't even know I was busy seeing an event, but I do know I didn't need to be there to know is my point.
00:28:17.960 --> 00:28:38.960 Tommy DiMisa: So you know, because these are small businesses. Right? They nonprofit is a tax filing status gang. It does not mean these are not businesses. If you are the restaurateur, and you're the chief cook and bottle washer, as they say, you know, and the Mater D, you know you put on a white jacket, and then you put on a shirt and tie out front whatever that's very similar to the work going on here.
00:28:39.120 --> 00:28:47.059 Tommy DiMisa: So I want to talk about the thing with with the Mount Sinai connection, and like what that looked like, because when you started, were you an employee
00:28:47.160 --> 00:28:58.400 Tommy DiMisa: of Mount Sinai, were your employee of the organization like how cause it is? There was obviously there was some transition, and I'll use the word and correct me. But like a breakaway and and separation for lack of a better word.
00:28:58.400 --> 00:29:23.299 Joanna Formont: So we were employees. I still remain. We all still remain employees of Mount Sinai, South Nassau, which is great because we do have this wonderful partnership with the hospital. They are able to provide us with support when needed. But also, we can, you know, go into the hospital and connect to their cancer center. And now that they're affiliated with the system, you know in Manhattan that broadens our ability to connect. But just because we're connected to a hospital. That doesn't mean we can't work with
00:29:23.300 --> 00:29:47.590 Joanna Formont: families from any hospital, and that was why we wanted to break the affiliate, you know, become an affiliate and not a department it allowed us to one apply for grant funding in a real way our budget is more true now as an affiliate, as we're applying for grants, but also to walk into a hospital system. That's not Mount Sinai. You're not a hospital coming into a hospital, so it didn't make it easier to try to do community outreach, and, you know.
00:29:47.640 --> 00:29:48.960 Joanna Formont: get referrals.
00:29:48.960 --> 00:29:55.819 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, it's interesting. So shout out to the Long Island. Imagine awards, by the way, shout out to vanguard benefits because you had something to do with the imagine awards this year, did you not.
00:29:55.820 --> 00:30:01.669 Joanna Formont: We did, we were very surprised and excited to receive the Rising Star award, which was incredible.
00:30:01.670 --> 00:30:20.030 Tommy DiMisa: Yes, yeah. And it's actually just a just a little bit, everybody. It's the vanguard benefits Rising star word. I don't have a vanguard benefits Hoodie on for you all, because it's downstairs, plus I got my brand new warrior ranch, Hoodie, if you want one, call me, I'll text you or Tommy d at philanthropyandfocus.com if you want one, or hook up with me on Tommy d
00:30:20.030 --> 00:30:34.119 Tommy DiMisa: Nyc. On Instagram, we'll get you sorted out with a Hoodie. Now I probably got to buy 50 hoodies. That's how it goes. That's how it goes around here. But yes, we were so excited that you won, and there was 3 other finalists, and I'm going to remember them right now.
00:30:34.410 --> 00:30:39.939 Tommy DiMisa: Nosh delivers, which is in my community here, where I live up on the north shore of Long Island
00:30:40.210 --> 00:30:42.769 Tommy DiMisa: Baca. Bikers against child abuse.
00:30:43.120 --> 00:30:58.439 Tommy DiMisa: How about that crew in the room that night, with all their leathers and vest? I went out, and like I met you, it was different. I met you at Sib's place. I met them in an Aldi parking lot out in Suffolk County, where we shot a video with me them and the bikes I mean, I'm getting emotional because it was so funny.
00:30:58.780 --> 00:31:26.909 Tommy DiMisa: And then my friend Dawn Lang, who actually texted me last night while I was at that event she was like comedy. We got to connect dawn runs an organization, Long Island, lending a helping hand. Smaller organization here on Long Island, but doing great work, thrift store helping people get access to things they need. And that's like what comes out of the imagine wars. Sure, it's incredible for organizations to win. So I mentioned all 4, your organization, Baca, Nash and Dawn Lang's organization, Long Island, lending a helping hand.
00:31:26.910 --> 00:31:31.720 Tommy DiMisa: But what what Ken Cerini and I talk about a lot. Ken Cerini, founder of the Awards, is always.
00:31:33.240 --> 00:31:57.810 Tommy DiMisa: It is a great opportunity to shine light on the sector, and it is a great opportunity for everybody to get to meet each other and network, and I will tell you if you're in that room. Then you know what I'm talking about. I do not stop moving for the entire night, because I have a lot of people that I want to get to know each other before we leave that night. But when I saw you go on stage with my business partner, Ed Probst and I have a video, and it was just, I'm so
00:31:57.870 --> 00:32:07.295 Tommy DiMisa: I wanted all 4 of the folks. I want everybody there to win the freaking award. It's very difficult when you are the nonprofit sector connector. It's very difficult. But
00:32:08.540 --> 00:32:18.350 Tommy DiMisa: and I'm glad I'm not a judge. I'm on the committee. If you want to find out more, send me an email gang. I'll talk to you about the Long Island. Imagine Awards and New York City. Imagine awards! But we got to go to a quick break.
00:32:18.720 --> 00:32:24.969 Tommy DiMisa: We come back. I want to go into kind of the programming. The last piece I'll put on that. Imagine awards rant was just
00:32:26.070 --> 00:32:31.649 Tommy DiMisa: the level of love and connection and compassion that we have in our sector here on Long Island
00:32:31.980 --> 00:32:37.119 Tommy DiMisa: is. It's it's immeasurable. It's it's completely infinite. The love in that room.
00:32:37.290 --> 00:32:42.230 Tommy DiMisa: and I really believe because the New York City imagine awards. Applications just came in
00:32:42.670 --> 00:33:05.500 Tommy DiMisa: that even on Long Island we're barely scratching the surface to connect with all the organizations. There's thousands of organizations here on Long Island that are in the nonprofit sector, which is why I plan on doing 5,000 episodes of philanthropy and focus. And that's just how it's going to go all right, Dawn, at dawn. Now I'm calling you Dawn, Joanna. He's all over the map. He's all over the map, don't lying, hey? I'll text you later. Since I'm talking about you, Joanna.
00:33:06.060 --> 00:33:28.720 Tommy DiMisa: when we come back I want you to take us through kind of like a virtual tour. Because when I came through, you showed me, Tommy, this is like where the children do some arts and crafts, and then this is where we have a family dinner, and then this is where we go out and show me like they put. There was like a room, a soccer room and stuff like that. Now, as it gets warmer out, maybe they'll go outside. I think you talked to me about. I want to know all that cause. I
00:33:29.160 --> 00:33:38.559 Tommy DiMisa: I want to be able to close my eyes and listen to you. Tell the story because some people are are driving and listening to this right, and I want them to see what goes on there. How's that sound?
00:33:38.880 --> 00:33:39.899 Joanna Formont: Perfect sounds, great.
00:33:39.900 --> 00:33:47.210 Tommy DiMisa: All right, let's do it. We'll be right back. This show is philanthropy and focus. I am the one and only nonprofit sector
00:33:47.610 --> 00:33:49.129 Tommy DiMisa: connector right back.
00:35:21.590 --> 00:35:28.149 Tommy DiMisa: Survivors and brothers and sisters is a free program, serving well children, ages 5 to 17,
00:35:28.260 --> 00:35:57.900 Tommy DiMisa: who are living with a sibling, with a cancer or another devastating medical illness, a parent with a cancer diagnosis and or children coping with the death of a sibling or parent. It is an affiliate of Mount Sinai, South Nassau and provides guided therapeutic peer support to help children develop skills to cope with the traumatic and emotional impact of a loved one's medical diagnosis or death. When I came for a visit, Joanna, I had said.
00:35:58.350 --> 00:36:07.420 Tommy DiMisa: you know what this resonated for me was. It was it was similar in experience to
00:36:08.980 --> 00:36:16.104 Tommy DiMisa: to a sibling of a child with what we call special needs or intellectual developmental disabilities or
00:36:16.980 --> 00:36:19.268 Tommy DiMisa: organ, some other kind of of
00:36:20.010 --> 00:36:28.019 Tommy DiMisa: of disability. However, you know, not quote unquote an illness because we're dealing. And it was where that sibling
00:36:28.220 --> 00:36:30.910 Tommy DiMisa: of a child who might have some severe special needs
00:36:32.890 --> 00:36:45.520 Tommy DiMisa: feels left alone. Feels like they can't experience certain things. I wouldn't go as far as saying there's resentment to the other sibling, but I'm sure in some cases there's different things because we're all human beings.
00:36:46.840 --> 00:36:55.420 Tommy DiMisa: but it's like they. They're at times forced to grow up quicker. They don't have somebody to talk to. They don't have a therapist to communicate with and
00:36:55.920 --> 00:37:03.400 Tommy DiMisa: be. And I see it a lot going back to the cancer side of things and other serious diseases.
00:37:04.430 --> 00:37:13.049 Tommy DiMisa: I know a lot of folks who I mean. I was just at the Lls Walk Leukemia Lymphoma Society. I just I was not at the walk, but I was at
00:37:13.730 --> 00:37:17.910 Tommy DiMisa: a leadership meeting the other night with my friend Ray Schwetz.
00:37:18.670 --> 00:37:19.630 Tommy DiMisa: And
00:37:20.950 --> 00:37:32.930 Tommy DiMisa: there's these 2 beautiful little girls, and they have a little brother named Hunter, and I met the girls the other night because her dad is like chair of of the walk this year, and he's coming on my show with the girls.
00:37:33.545 --> 00:37:39.699 Tommy DiMisa: I don't want to mention too many names and stuff, but the bottom line is, their family's been through some stuff, and I'm going to have them on my show
00:37:40.920 --> 00:37:42.539 Tommy DiMisa: Long Island change makers.
00:37:42.730 --> 00:37:52.210 Tommy DiMisa: And I just think about these children who are impacted by this at a young age and the
00:37:52.570 --> 00:38:01.269 Tommy DiMisa: collateral damage, if you will, or collateral challenges that they're going through by watching their sibling, they caring, then they love their sibling.
00:38:02.080 --> 00:38:09.230 Tommy DiMisa: and then they have to deal with their own stuff of being isolated and and not being able to talk to anybody. That's who you get to see every day right.
00:38:09.590 --> 00:38:29.559 Joanna Formont: Well, that's exactly it, Tommy. You know we're creating a community for these children that feel forgotten. And it's not that they're purposefully forgotten, and nobody's, you know, saying, All right, you're not as important as your brother sister, but when you know, if you're a mom, I'm a mom, I have kids. You're one child sick, even if it's a cold, the flu, your 100% attention is on them, you know, and.
00:38:29.590 --> 00:38:49.590 Tommy DiMisa: I got limited resources like, forget about all the other stuff going on. I only have like this focus can. Only right now is Joanna and Tommy, and I'm focused here and escapers making noise outside. I'm trying not to focus on them right? I'm trying to be here. So if you're pouring all into that one individual. And there's several children in that home.
00:38:49.770 --> 00:38:51.070 Tommy DiMisa: That's just the way it is.
00:38:51.070 --> 00:39:15.989 Joanna Formont: Right. It's hard, you know. So we have this space where families can feel at ease that their children can come here and get that support and the attention and the psychological, you know, preventative based counseling that they need. That's what I love about this program. We are prevention based. And you know. I think you and I spoke about it when you came here, you know, 25 years ago that wasn't a buzzword. It is a little bit more of a concept. Now, in the mental health world where you want.
00:39:15.990 --> 00:39:40.930 Joanna Formont: try to provide children with an outlet, to express their feelings, to identify their feelings to be with other children that are just like them. So you can normalize their experiences and validate what they're going through. But then also to teach them the coping skills. So that hopefully, yes, this is a really traumatic time in their life, or a difficult time in their life. But with all of those tools and that space you're giving them, they will come out of it stronger. You know. There's such thing as called post-traumatic
00:39:40.930 --> 00:40:05.429 Joanna Formont: growth. There's an increased level of empathy that comes from children that have had to deal with challenges early in their lives. So many of the children I worked with. I'm here like you mentioned. A lot of years are in the helping field. Now. I've got children that have gone on to be therapists themselves, or want to be in the medical field because of their life experience they have gained, you know, a better understanding of how they can have an impact on the next generation. So
00:40:05.430 --> 00:40:17.870 Joanna Formont: you know there is a power of that. When you're coming to sibs, you are creating a community for yourself and your parents because we have the parent support group as well. And you're really just finding a space where you know you're not going to feel judged.
00:40:18.250 --> 00:40:27.299 Joanna Formont: And I think, as a child, you know, you want to fit in. You want to not feel judged. And you want to feel like you're you're hurt, you know. You have somebody you get to talk to, and you want to feel heard.
00:40:27.300 --> 00:40:36.949 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I'm raising 4 children. They happen to be mine and my wife's, and we're raising these. And they are 1514, 12, and 10 and
00:40:38.120 --> 00:40:50.830 Tommy DiMisa: fortunately there's no serious health issues. I would say. I believe mental health is is certainly a continuum, and I talk about it all the time. And there's challenges that we battle through over here, going through all that.
00:40:50.870 --> 00:41:17.310 Tommy DiMisa: And your point is they're just kids trying to fit in. I mean, I'm not real good at fitting in. I don't like to do that anymore. But, like I understand, as a 1314 year old kid, you might want to fit in, because it's easier sometimes than standing out. But yesterday, before I emceed last night's event, I emceed an event at the middle school, and one of my children. 2 of my children go to that school. I had to leave to go to an event, so I didn't, Mc. The whole day.
00:41:17.560 --> 00:41:39.649 Tommy DiMisa: but my older of my 2 sons. It was his grade, and I don't know how pleased he was that his his boy, Tommy D, was on the microphone, but all his boys were pretty excited about it, and that was kind of fun, but I'm sure he would have rather if he could have just not been standing out because his dad was on the microphone right? Because it's so much sorry. Please go ahead.
00:41:39.650 --> 00:41:54.600 Joanna Formont: No. And imagine, imagine you're a child in a school, and you've got a parent with a cancer diagnosis who doesn't have their hair, or they're walking in with an oxygen taker, or they look physically different, you know. And now you're 6, and you have to try to explain that to your friends, you know it's difficult.
00:41:54.600 --> 00:41:56.220 Tommy DiMisa: They're embarrassed, I think you said is.
00:41:57.260 --> 00:42:06.950 Tommy DiMisa: I remember that when I came for the visit one I'm not. I'm sure it wasn't 1, but the child will say to you, I'm embarrassed of my mom or my dad because of that. Yeah, talk to me about that.
00:42:06.950 --> 00:42:10.069 Joanna Formont: Because and it's not. It's not so much, you know.
00:42:10.220 --> 00:42:38.940 Joanna Formont: It's a little. And then there's a guilt about feeling embarrassed. It's a little mix of that. But you know you don't want to stand out, and you don't want to have to answer these complicated questions with your friends, and we'll have groups, that that's what our focus of our group is. So how can you answer somebody when they mention your brother's, you know scar from his brain surgery, or How can you address the lunch, lady when she says to a child whose mother recently died? But the lunch lady doesn't know it. Oh, go take home your your debit card. You know your school card and have your mom put more money on it.
00:42:39.260 --> 00:43:03.369 Joanna Formont: You know you're in the middle of the cafeteria and somebody's now bringing up the fact that your mom's not there, you know. So how do you feel empowered in those moments to be able to address those situations or not to you could choose not to. And that's his right, too. So they're sharing these experiences. And oftentimes one person shares a story like that, you know, and not everyone's heads nodding, or half the heads are nodding because they've lived through similar situations, you know.
00:43:03.670 --> 00:43:15.280 Tommy DiMisa: Isn't that what they want? Isn't that what they want, too? Is that community where it's like, oh, it's not. And I go. And and you know, maybe that's and certainly is what I'm trying to do in the world around mental health. But it's like
00:43:15.400 --> 00:43:18.289 Tommy DiMisa: they then go. Oh, my God.
00:43:18.440 --> 00:43:25.959 Tommy DiMisa: it isn't. I'm not the one who's only feeling this way. There's 9 other kids who look like me, who are dealing with this stuff.
00:43:27.510 --> 00:43:36.809 Tommy DiMisa: And now we can kind of whiteboard ideas, right or or I'm sure, more like crayon ideas or whatever. But like just figure
00:43:37.280 --> 00:43:51.800 Tommy DiMisa: right, both right? Right? Sure. Yeah. I mean, listen, some of the older kids. I'm sure it's obviously a different level engagement. But what goes on. So some some kids come to we're going to spend a couple of minutes. We're going late on this break. It's just the way it is on the show. So let's talk about like.
00:43:52.200 --> 00:43:55.920 Tommy DiMisa: what does the program look like? Day in and day out at at Sip's place?
00:43:56.140 --> 00:44:20.089 Joanna Formont: So you hit on with the mission. We have 3 different populations. We have children who have somebody actively ill at home, a parent or a sibling. We have children who are just here for our bereavement services that's offered on a separate night. And that's an 8 week group where it's intensive. And there's definitely a parent component required for our bereavement services. And then we have a 3rd night of services where the children are here, because either somebody's actively ill at home.
00:44:20.100 --> 00:44:43.559 Joanna Formont: or they were once part of our bereavement support group, and after that 8 weeks felt like they still needed support. So they continue with us on our Thursday evening program. And when they're here I'll speak to the Tuesday, Thursday, because that's really how our program started. And that's our core program. They're here from 3 Pm. To 8 o'clock, which is 5 h of respite for their families, which is incredible. They don't have to get here 3 sharp. They get here when they can, but we're available.
00:44:43.832 --> 00:44:54.729 Joanna Formont: And when they 1st walk in they're coming in through, you know our back door, and there's a beautiful kitchen where, just like if they were in their house, they plop down their school bag. They get a snack.
00:44:54.730 --> 00:45:18.659 Joanna Formont: and they, you know, go right into chit chatting about their day. All the grownups are saying, How was your day? How did it go? How was that test you were talking about, and then they get into their homework. So they we have volunteers who are high school students all the way up to. I think my oldest volunteers this 92 year old gentleman and his wife, who have been volunteering for as long as I've been working here. They're incredible, but they come and they sit side by side and help the children with homework.
00:45:18.960 --> 00:45:29.450 Joanna Formont: and then when they're done with that, they we have this beautiful gaming. We were referencing with the foosball table and board games, and they're able to just play and engage with each other. You know, we try to limit tech
00:45:29.450 --> 00:45:52.679 Joanna Formont: and cell phones and tablets. We really want them to be verbally and physically engaging with each other. Sometimes it's a losing battle, and we'll give them a little bit of time for that, and then we provide dinner every night. They get a different hot meal that we provide for them, or we'll get donations from the community so that we could provide those meals for them. And then, once all of that is done.
00:45:52.680 --> 00:46:17.649 Joanna Formont: the later part of the evening is really focused on the truth therapeutic end. We've got this beautiful art therapy room that the children can use during free time if they want to do creative art in there. But every night there's a focus directive that you know are my art therapists think up that helps the children to open up about what's going on. Help them to connect, help them to develop coping skills. The social worker and my mental health counselor. They develop these verbal activities whether it's a
00:46:17.650 --> 00:46:40.909 Joanna Formont: or a journal. Or, you know, maybe you're tossing a soccer ball or kicking a soccer ball, but that's that's used with questions on it so that they can open up about what's going on in their lives, and that happens every evening. We have a pet therapy dog that comes once a month, and we do music therapy. So there's various avenues of self expression and opportunities for them to open up. So maybe they're not a talker, but they'll learn through their art.
00:46:41.140 --> 00:47:02.280 Joanna Formont: or you know they don't love dogs at the beginning of their their visit with Daisy, but by the end they're the last person to stop petting her. So you know, because the pet therapy is so important, and mindfulness, too, is usually incorporated into the night as well. That's part of like practicing the coping skills so that then hopefully, they can take that with them when they're having a stressful moment outside of sips. Place.
00:47:02.280 --> 00:47:13.479 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, I wanna I wanna come back. I want you what? We're gonna go a quick break. We come back. I want you to tell me about the mindfulness, what that looks like in practice like what mo, whether it be modality or whatever you guys are doing.
00:47:13.480 --> 00:47:37.729 Tommy DiMisa: because I'm all about that stuff. So I want to learn more. So we'll go to Quick Break. You. Come back. We'll talk about that. And then I want to hear what's upcoming for the organization, Joanna, how we can help and how we can give back, because we've been bouncing around a lot. But that's what it is. When you hang out with Tommy D. That's just the way it works. So and trust me, you get to leave. I got to hang out with him all day. I can't get rid of the guy every time I turn around. He's right there, all right. So let's take a quick break, because I need one when we come back. Joanna are going to talk about
00:47:37.730 --> 00:47:51.890 Tommy DiMisa: kind of the mindfulness at the organization, what's upcoming and how you can get involved in support gang. If you want to check it out, go to sibsplace.org SIBS place PLAC e.org sibsplace dot org Joanna Formont, Tommy D. Right back.
00:49:35.610 --> 00:49:46.270 Tommy DiMisa: No matter what you might have heard from Yolanda Robino gross gang! You're not really supposed to come to my house and go in my attic. It's only for me, and and some of my kids sometimes can come up here.
00:49:46.270 --> 00:50:12.329 Tommy DiMisa: But I just it's saying, when you say join him in his attic. It means show up for the show. Pay attention, but you probably get that. Now we're like over 200 episodes of this thing, 200 episodes of something that was just an idea, and I encourage you. If you have an idea freaking, try it because, as Joanna and I started the show, tomorrow's no guarantee. All we have is this moment right here. So don't freaking. Wait like don't just go do the thing. If it doesn't come out the way you wanted.
00:50:12.580 --> 00:50:18.469 Tommy DiMisa: You figured out a way not to do it. Then you do something else, Joanna. Talk to me about mindfulness over at Sib's place.
00:50:19.140 --> 00:50:48.829 Joanna Formont: Sure. So you know, that is one of the basic. We end the night with that, so that they're going home with some type of coping skills. So we might do guided imagery. We might have somebody come in and do yoga with the children. We do a lot of breath work helping them breathe, maybe attaching that with gratitude. I just got up to get. We have these little like healing stones. So this might be an activity where you give the kids a pouch to decorate. This happens to be a sibs pouch, but then you give them stones. Where then they you got your stones right where they can at least reflect.
00:50:48.830 --> 00:50:49.470 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah.
00:50:49.610 --> 00:51:03.900 Tommy DiMisa: yeah, just it's sorry. It drives my wife crazy because I pick up rocks everywhere. And it's something about. I guess it's a grounding thing like I'm at the beach. There are rocks all over the place, so the stones something about that. So with the tell me about those stones you have there.
00:51:03.900 --> 00:51:28.770 Joanna Formont: It's a physical object that you could put in your backpack. Keep in your pocket that you can in that moment, you know. Hold on to it. We have 5 stones in this bag, so maybe the activity might be, think of 5 things that you're grateful for. Or maybe it's find 5 ways to think about a coping skill that could get you out of the situation, you know, or maybe you want to do 3 for a younger child. But it just is something very tangible
00:51:29.050 --> 00:51:45.929 Joanna Formont: and concrete right that represents a skill that they've acquired at sibs. But also I always reflect that it reminds them that they're part of a larger community. So they've got this bag that they got from Sibs Place sitting in their backpack when they're feeling alone. When they're feeling isolated. They know that they've got this community support behind them.
00:51:46.270 --> 00:52:10.089 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah. Yeah. And and it's the community piece is coming off for me big time. But it's it's also they know they can go to that, and it's gonna draw them back to an experience that they had at Sips Place. Right? So you know, because it's a transcendent in some regard from my perspective. That's like I can take this stone, and I know when I sat with Joanna and team and some of my peers, I felt good on Thursday night.
00:52:10.290 --> 00:52:28.030 Tommy DiMisa: and it's Monday. I won't see my gang, maybe again until Tuesday night, but I'm having a tough time, and I can grab these stones and just remember that that's and it takes you back there. And that's all we need is is not all we need. But in a lot of cases all we need is that moment to pause and breathe
00:52:29.370 --> 00:52:31.999 Tommy DiMisa: before we react. It's about.
00:52:32.000 --> 00:52:35.780 Joanna Formont: That's what mindfulness is. Right. It's been in the moment it's been right.
00:52:35.780 --> 00:52:37.249 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah. Sorry. Please, continue.
00:52:37.250 --> 00:53:03.019 Joanna Formont: You know, it's just being president in the moment and just reminding them that that's you know, we don't have control over a lot of our lives, especially as children. When you have an illness or a death, you definitely have lost a sense of control. So where you can find pockets of control right where you can find places where you can have a little bit of control. I can control my body and the way I breathe I can control my reactions and how I respond to people right? So these are the places that they can gain that sense of power and control that
00:53:03.020 --> 00:53:12.410 Joanna Formont: is missing when it one. You're a child. So you're kind of going along wherever wherever your parents say but 2, when there's an illness or a loss. That's a big loss of control.
00:53:12.810 --> 00:53:40.449 Tommy DiMisa: Sure and and as as control is funny, because, like, we have so little of it. But we want it so bad, right? And as children. They're battling for it, and then you throw in the illness and things. What I would tell you gang is, there's been plenty of times where I hear a big rumbling noise in my washing machine, because I leave rocks in my pocket sometimes it's like a little boy. So when you have a little pouch of stones. Make sure you take them out of your your you know your pocket of your shorts, or your jeans, or whatever before.
00:53:40.663 --> 00:53:44.289 Tommy DiMisa: What's coming up with the organization. How can people find out more? How can people plug in.
00:53:44.590 --> 00:54:08.110 Joanna Formont: Yes. So you know, we go now into camp season. We are really really lucky. We get some funding for our summer camp program camp sibs which allows the children to be here 3 days a week. 2 days are field trips. One day is an on-site day here, but it really gives children that empowerment and those enriching opportunities. You know we're talking about the mindfulness and thinking back to oh, when I was at Sibs, I did this and that, and I can reflect on that.
00:54:08.220 --> 00:54:30.230 Joanna Formont: Camp provides that same opportunity. You know. We might take them horseback riding and horse ability, and then, in the middle of the year, right? Great organization in the middle of the year, when they're struggling with something we can call back to that and say, Remember, when you were so afraid to get on that horse, but now you did it, and you rode, and you didn't want to get off. And it's really that in the moment reminder of their strength
00:54:30.230 --> 00:54:58.769 Joanna Formont: and their sense of being able to accomplish a challenge. And that's half of our camp is activities like rock climbing and roller skating and things of that nature, and then we'll take them, you know, to something cultural. Maybe we'll do something like a met game, or we'll go to a museum or well, this year we're going to take them to see wicked on Broadway. So that's a big part of our program because it lets them have a summer just like their peers, you know, when you have an illness in the house, sometimes, financially, you can't afford a camp when there's an illness in the house.
00:54:58.770 --> 00:55:25.159 Joanna Formont: You sometimes are afraid to send somebody to camp because of their compromised immune system. They know when they're here they're safe. So how do people get involved? They want to support our camp. That's great. We always can use materials for our therapy activities or funding to support that. We have our website, which is announced sipsplace.org, to get more information for me. Awareness is why I come on shows like this. I want people to know about Sips Place, that if you are
00:55:25.160 --> 00:55:50.019 Joanna Formont: a family coping with an illness or a loss, and you have children between the ages of 5 and 17, there is a resource for them. They do not have to cope with this alone. They can meet other children, create a community. The parent that is coping with the illness or loss can do the same. We have a really vibrant parent support group, where they connect with each other even outside of sibs for practical advice, or just to give each other emotional support. So you know, no one should have to go through this alone.
00:55:50.020 --> 00:56:00.309 Joanna Formont: and we are here from diagnosis until remission, you know, and that's more cases than not, or we're here from diagnosis. And if there is a loss to to support the family through that loss.
00:56:00.350 --> 00:56:11.049 Joanna Formont: So, you know, look us up, find us as a resource for friends and family and partnerships. We're always looking to partner with other, not for profits. I think that's important that we are sharing our resources.
00:56:11.220 --> 00:56:26.809 Tommy DiMisa: Yeah, thank you for sharing all you shared today. By the way, I don't know if you know this, I'm on the board of directors at horse ability. My friends, Denise, Katie Mcgowan and Margie came to the event last night out in Riverhead to support. So I've been Katie.
00:56:26.810 --> 00:56:27.830 Joanna Formont: Later, next week, actually.
00:56:27.830 --> 00:56:51.350 Tommy DiMisa: Well, you know. Let me know. Maybe I'll meet you. I haven't seen my horses out there horse ability in a minute, and you know just so much about collaboration and relationships and things like that. And that's that's what the show is. Really, it's about. You know, when you call yourself the nonprofit sector connector. It comes with some responsibility, but actually doing those things. And and I love that I get to do that. Thank you for what you're doing. Thank you for coming on the program this morning.
00:56:51.410 --> 00:57:06.429 Tommy DiMisa: Any way I can help you out. Don't ever hesitate to reach out, and that goes for you all gang too like send me a note. Follow me on the social media bunch of the stuff on Instagram, Tommy D. Dot Nyc. The nonprofit sector connector on Instagram, and also
00:57:06.730 --> 00:57:23.619 Tommy DiMisa: ending the stigma together on Instagram, you know, because that's what we're about here. And you know, send me an email, Tommy, Df philanthropy and focus.com, and I will connect with you. And I got a lot of exciting stuff going into the summertime. So, Joanna, thanks for all you're doing. Thank you for your team. Appreciate it, gang. The website is sibsplace.org. Check it out.
00:57:23.620 --> 00:57:31.559 Tommy DiMisa: and I will make sure you're connected. If you have, if you can't figure out the website situation gang, which I don't understand that. But if you can send me an email and I'll get you there. But.
00:57:31.980 --> 00:57:32.820 Joanna Formont: Too. Yeah.
00:57:32.820 --> 00:57:34.310 Tommy DiMisa: What's Instagram? Is it? Sib's place.
00:57:34.658 --> 00:57:36.400 Joanna Formont: Play, sync, sips, play, sync.
00:57:36.400 --> 00:57:49.639 Tommy DiMisa: Dip place Inc. On Instagram. But you know what I'll do. I'll tag we'll do something later on. Feel like going to the beach and shooting some videos later today, anyway. So we'll probably do something about that, Joanna. Thank you so much. I appreciate you. I I love that we're friends, and I want to help in any way. I can have a great day.
00:57:49.640 --> 00:57:52.540 Joanna Formont: Thank you. I appreciate this opportunity, Tommy. Really do thank you.
00:57:52.540 --> 00:57:54.650 Tommy DiMisa: You got it. Bye, everybody, I'll see you next week.
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