About Us

About Bereaved Families of Ontario – Southwest

Bereaved Families of Ontario Southwest Region (BFO-SW) is a non-profit, mutual aid organization that started in 1984 to help support families who experienced the death of a child.

Today, we continue to provide free support and programs for those who have experienced the death of a child. We also provide support to individuals who have experienced other losses related to a death as well.

We provide a safe place where members can talk about their loss, share their story, and express their grief. Through the self-help process, participants know they are not alone. They feel hopeful as they see how others have coped, and learn about grief as a normal response to loss. Participants find a comforting network of caring people building trust and relationships.

Our Southwest Region includes the following counties in their entirety. A few cities and towns are noted for each as examples.

Middlesex County – including London, Lucan, Parkhill

Elgin County – including St. Thomas, Aylmer, Port Stanley, Dutton

Oxford County – including Woodstock, Tillsonburg

Chatham – Kent County – including Chatham, Ridgetown, Blenheim

Huron County – including Grand Bend, Exeter, Clinton, Goderich, Blyth, Wingham

Lambton County – including Sarnia, Forest, Petrolia

Perth County – including Mitchell, Listowel, St. Mary’s and Stratford

Upon request we do consider inquiries from out of these counties as well.

Bereaved Families of Ontario – Southwest Region is one of 10 Bereaved Families organizations across Ontario. You can find out more about our parent organization – Bereaved Families of Ontario at this link.

Support Provided

All services provided at BFO-SW are based on peer support; we do not provide counselling, therapy, or crisis support. However, we can help you get connected to formal counselling, support lines, grief-related resources, and other community services.

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that the land on which we gather is the traditional territory of the Anishinaabeg, Haudenosaunee, Lenape, Attawandaron, and Neutral peoples. This land continues to be home to diverse Indigenous nations, including the Three Fires Confederacy of Ojibwe, Odawa, and Potawatomi peoples. We recognize the historic and ongoing presence of Indigenous peoples in this region and express our gratitude for the opportunity to live, work, and learn on their traditional territory.