The shoreline showed up for us in every way during our first annual Waves of Hope 5K. The morning carried a steady rhythm — waves rolling in, families gathering, runners stretching, volunteers setting up, and a community ready to move with purpose. It felt like more than a race. It felt like a beginning.
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From the moment the ROAR cheerleaders kicked off the morning to the final finishers coming across the line, the energy stayed strong and steady. People challenged themselves, supported one another, and created memories on the sand that will stay with us for a long time. Some ran for someone they’ve lost. Some ran for themselves. Some ran simply to be part of something hopeful. Every story mattered.
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The Remembrance & Resilience Station became a quiet anchor throughout the morning — a place to pause, write a name, honor a memory, or take a breath. Watching people gather there reminded us why this work matters and why this community is so special. We weren’t just running on the shoreline; we were building something on it.
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This month’s shoreline moment is simple: we started something meaningful together. And the tide is only rising from here.
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Waves of Hope 5K: A Morning of Movement, Memory, and Community
Check out more photos from our first annual Waves of Hope 5K here
Thank you to Liz Dahler photography for capturing such special moments of our morning on the shoreline.
Honoring Mothers, Holding Memory
A moment of remembrance for those carrying love and loss this month
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Mother’s Day holds many layers: love, gratitude, longing, and the quiet ache of missing someone who shaped our lives. This month, we are holding close the families and community members who are navigating Mother’s Day without their mothers or mother‑figures.Â
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We see the tenderness of this season, and we honor the memories, stories, and connections that continue to live on.
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For many, this time of year brings both warmth and sorrow. It reminds us how deeply we are shaped by those who nurtured us, and how powerful it can be to share our stories of remembrance and resilience with others who understand.
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As part of this reflection, we are introducing a new way for our community to honor loved ones and feel connected to others walking through grief. This offering reflects the heart of our mission: creating spaces where remembrance is welcomed, supported, and held with care.
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This Mother’s Day, we are thinking of every family carrying both love and loss, and we are grateful to walk beside you.
A moment of remembrance for our founder’s mother, and for all those we honor this month.
Introducing theÂ
Remembrance & Resilience Community Wall
A shared space to honor loved ones and the strength that carries us forward
At the Waves of Hope 5K, our community began something meaningful. Participants wrote messages of remembrance, courage, and love, creating a powerful moment of connection. Those first messages have now grown into our Remembrance and Resilience Community Wall, a living space where stories can be shared and held with care.
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The wall is open to everyone who wishes to honor someone they love, acknowledge a personal journey, or simply stand in solidarity with others who are grieving. Each message becomes part of a collective expression of remembrance and resilience, reminding us that none of us walk this path alone.
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You are invited to visit the wall, read the messages already shared, and add your own reflection whenever you feel ready. Every contribution helps build a community rooted in compassion and connection.Â
Tidal Resilience Foundation extends heartfelt thanks to every partner, sponsor, volunteer, and neighbor who supported our work throughout May. This month brought a powerful sense of community as we gathered on the shoreline for the first annual Waves of Hope 5K. Your presence — running, walking, cheering, volunteering, sponsoring — helped create a morning rooted in remembrance, resilience, and connection.
We are deeply grateful to the partners and sponsors whose generosity helped bring this event to life. Your belief in our mission strengthens the programs that support families throughout the year and helps create spaces where remembrance is welcomed and held with care.
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This month, we are honored to spotlight Stewart Maxcy — a local artist whose creativity and generosity have shaped so many of our events. From donated canvas pieces and surfboard art to designing the official Waves of Hope 5K t‑shirt, Stewart’s contributions have added depth, beauty, and heart to our work. His steady support and artistic vision continue to enrich the TRF community, and we are grateful to celebrate him in this month’s spotlight.
DONOR SPOLIGHT: STEWART MAXCY
Q: What inspired you to support Tidal Resilience Foundation?
I look for non profit organizations that focus on health issues, both physical and mental. The fact that Tidal Resilience Foundation primarily works with kids is a real bonus for me. Having worked in elementary education for almost 4 decades, I have seen the needs of many. I currently work with groups that support mental health issues, cancer research of all types, heart research, and other health related matters. I also focus on groups that raise funds for scholarships of all kinds
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Q: What part of Tidal Resilience Foundation's mission resonates most deeply with you?
Tidal Resilience Foundation combines two important things I value. I've always enjoyed working with kids and, combined with my love for our oceans and waterways, I am pleased to find another way to “give back” to the community.
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Q: When you think about resilience, what does it mean to you and your family?
Tidal Resilience Foundation offers another way to support the youth of today. Knowing they are the future, we should use every means possible to ensure they are successful.Â
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Q: What do you hope Tidal Resilience Foundation brings to families and youth in our community?
It today's world, it is easy to overlook families in need. Not everyone has the ability to reach out for help. Many do not know where to turn. Some families are too proud or even embarrassed to seek help in their times of need. Tidal Resilience is attempting to offer those children and their families the assistance they need. Â
Q: Is there anything you’d like others to know about why supporting this work matters?
Everyone has the ability to be empathetic and to be helpful. It may be offering time, a talent, or simply a smile. To me, it's an easy choice - “Treat others the way you wish to be treated.” Supporting organizations that choose to help others gives hope to those in need. Knowing that you have provided, in some way, assistance to others is a feeling that lifts you up as well as those who you give hope to.Â
Thank you, Stewart, for sharing your story and for supporting Tidal Resilience Foundation.
Community Connections
A look at what we are learning, listening to, and exploring this month
Each month, we will highlight a resource, story, or conversation that deepens our understanding of grief, resilience, or the ocean. These are the voices and ideas shaping the way we support families and build TRF’s programs.
What We’re Reading:
Waiting for Dawn: Living with Uncertainty by Marisa Renee Lee (2026)
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This month, we’ve been spending time with Waiting for Dawn, the newest book from bestselling author Marisa Renee Lee. Even early in the reading, her reflections offer a steady, honest look at what it means to live with uncertainty — a reality many of the families we serve know well.
Marisa’s work has always centered on truth‑telling around grief. Her first book, Grief Is Love, reframed grief as an ongoing relationship rather than something to “move past.” In Waiting for Dawn, she continues that conversation by exploring how we keep going when life feels unpredictable, heavy, or unclear. She writes from lived experience — losing her mother, navigating her own seasons of grief, and learning how to build a life that holds both joy and sorrow.
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Why It Resonates With Tidal Resilience Foundation
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So much of what Marisa names in this book mirrors the heart of our work at Tidal Resilience Foundation. Families come to us in moments when the path forward feels uncertain. Kids are learning how to carry memories, emotions, and questions that don’t always have simple answers. Caregivers are doing their best to support their children while navigating their own grief.
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Marisa’s reflections remind us that uncertainty is not a sign of weakness. It’s part of being human. And resilience isn’t about “getting over” anything. It’s about finding steady ground, even when the tide is shifting.
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Her writing echoes what we see every day: healing happens in community, in connection, and in the small moments where we feel seen and supported.
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This month’s Community Connection is a reminder that we don’t have to have everything figured out to keep moving. Sometimes, simply waiting for dawn together is enough.
May Focus: What We Are Working On
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May has been a month centered on remembrance, preparation, and the steady work that continues to shape our mission. With Mother’s Day approaching, we are holding close the families and community members who are missing their mothers or mother‑figures. This season can carry both tenderness and ache, and our hope is to offer spaces where those feelings can be acknowledged, honored, and supported.
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This month also marks the introduction of our Remembrance & Resilience Community Wall, a growing space where families can share memories, honor loved ones, and feel connected to others navigating loss.Â
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Behind the scenes, we are preparing for the launch of Resilience Rides in August. These water‑based outings will offer families opportunities to connect, breathe, and experience moments of grounding together.Â
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We are also securing materials and assembling Resilience Kits for upcoming deliveries. Our goal is to distribute kits to schools across Northeast Florida at the start of the 2026–2027 school year, ensuring students and caregivers have access to tools for comfort, grounding, and emotional support.Â
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As always, we continue strengthening our presence and partnerships throughout the community. Each connection — whether with a family, a volunteer, or a local business — expands the network of support surrounding the work we do.
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This month, we also want to extend our gratitude to the partners and sponsors who helped make the Waves of Hope 5K possible:
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Florida Race Day
The ROAR of the Jaguars
Stewart Maxcy, artist
Stir it Up St. Augustine
Guy Harvey St. Augustine Beach Resort
Back 40 A1A
Hot Spot Yoga STA
Flat Spell Tattoo
Shipwright Communications & Consulting
Last Call Marine
St. John’s Illuminations and Events
Vital Veterans Consultants
Van Gang Ent
DJ Voo Doo
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May has reminded us that resilience is built through both the visible moments — like gathering on the shoreline — and the quiet, intentional work that prepares us for what’s ahead. This month has been full of that work, and it is carrying us into summer with clarity and purpose.
The Tide Report
A simple, honest snapshot of where things stand
Program Growth
May is a month of quiet, intentional progress across the programs that support families throughout the year. We continue preparing for the launch of Resilience Rides in August, refining the flow of each outing and strengthening the partnerships that will help these gatherings feel welcoming and accessible. Our Resilience Kits work has also moved forward as we secure materials and plan for distribution to Northeast Florida schools at the start of the 2026–2027 school year. These steady steps are helping us build a strong foundation for the months ahead.
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Community Support
This month brought meaningful connection with families, volunteers, and partners who showed up for the Waves of Hope 5K. Their presence and encouragement have carried into May, reinforcing the community that surrounds our mission.Â
We also began shaping the Remembrance & Resilience Community Wall, a shared space where families can honor loved ones and feel connected to others navigating loss. These community‑held spaces remind us that healing grows through connection, presence, and being witnessed.
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What’s Emerging Next
As we move to June, our focus turns toward finalizing the details for Resilience Rides, continuing to assemble Resilience Kits, and expanding the partnerships that help TRF grow with intention. We are also working toward the digital submission process for the Community Wall, ensuring families will soon have an easy way to share memories and reflections.
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 Each step is part of the steady emergence of TRF’s first year — building programs, strengthening community, and creating spaces where remembrance and resilience can take root.
The Next Wave
A gentle look at what’s coming into view
As we move into June, the next wave is forming through steady preparation, deepening partnerships, and the continued belief of the families and neighbors walking beside us. May has been a month of meaningful connection and behind‑the‑scenes work, and several pieces of our mission are beginning to take clearer shape as summer approaches.
Resilience Rides
We are preparing to launch Resilience Rides in August across Duval, St. Johns, and Flagler counties. These monthly, water based outings will offer gentle movement, connection, and simple resilience practices on the water. Families can now join the interest list to receive updates for their region.
We continue to assemble and deliver Resilience Kits for children and families throughout Northeast Florida. Each kit offers tools for comfort, connection, and emotional support. Families can request a kit at any time, and community members can sponsor a kit to help us reach more children. Our goal is to distribute kits to schools across Northeast Florida at the start of the 2026–2027 school year,
Our monthly postcards for kids continue this spring, each one featuring an ocean animal and a simple resilience theme to bring encouragement and connection to the mailbox.
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Remembrance & Resilience Community Wall
We are grateful to share that our Remembrance and Resilience Community Wall is now live. This shared space invites families to honor loved ones and feel connected to others who are navigating loss. What began as an idea has grown into a meaningful extension of our mission, offering a place for community‑held remembrance and resilience.
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The digital submission process is now open, and the wall already holds messages from our Waves of Hope 5K community. You are welcome to visit, read the reflections that have been shared, and add your own message whenever you feel ready.
We continue to build a list of volunteers who want to support TRF as we grow. If you feel called to help with events, family meetups, kit assembly, or future programming, we would love to connect.
If you’d like to make a financial contribution to support our early growth, you can donate directly through our website. Every gift helps us build a strong foundation for the year ahead. Donate here
Prefer to shop instead? You can also support Tidal Resilience Foundation through The Tide Market, where every purchase helps fund our mission to support bereaved youth through ocean‑inspired healing and resilience practices.
The Tidal Resilience Foundation (TRF) is a Northeast Florida-based nonprofit dedicated to helping children and families navigate the complexities of grief through the grounding and healing power of the ocean.Â
By blending emotional support with movement, nature, and community connection, TRF provides safe, meaningful spaces for young people to process loss and build lifelong resilience.
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Through its signature Resilience Weeks, Resilience Rides, and the Strength Beneath the Waves curriculum, the foundation partners with schools, counselors, and coastal businesses to ensure no child has to navigate life’s unsteady tides alone.Â
Rooted in lived experience and a deep belief in the power of community, TRF is committed to helping every young person rediscover the joy and strength that lives within them.Â
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For more information, visit
www.tidalresilience.org or follow us on Facebook and Instagram @tidalresiliencefoundation.
 2026 Theme: EMERGENCE Â
A year of rising, beginning, and stepping forward with clarity and care. Â
As Tidal Resilience Foundation grows from its shoreline beginnings, this theme reminds us to move with intention, humility, and hope.
