Tidal Resilience Foundation

The Monthly Ripple

September 2026 

 

Every shoreline experiences moments when the tide pulls back faster than expected, revealing a quiet stretch of sand that invites reflection. 

 

September offered Tidal Resilience one of those moments. A planned experience shifted, creating space for the organization to breathe, reset, and find its footing again. 

 

In that pause, we remembered the heart of our work. Resilience is not only found in waves of activity. It is found in the way we regroup and refocus when the ocean changes course. 

 

This month, we are leaning into connection, outreach, and the steady work of sharing our mission with the community.

 

 

Help us reach more families 

Referrals are one of the most meaningful ways our community can support Tidal Resilience. If you know a child, teen, or family navigating the loss of a parent, sibling, or caregiver, please send them our way. Your connection may be the bridge to a moment of calm and support. 

We can always be reached through our social media, our website, or email - connect@tidalresilience.org 

🔗 Tidal Resilience Family Referral Link

 

Share our new partnership with The  Mark Wandall Foundation 

 

The Mark Wandall Foundation supports children, teens and young adults who have had a parent, sibling and/or guardian die.They do this through a partnership camp in April of each year, Equine Therapy at two farms, (twice monthly), Family Reconnects once a quarter and Scholarships.

Their mission aligns closely with ours, and together we will expand our reach across Florida. This partnership will allow us to share events, resources, and healing experiences with the families we both serve. It strengthens the network of support available to grieving youth and deepens the sense of connection across our coastal communities.

🔗 Learn more about The Mark Wandall Foundation

 

Join us at Ancient City Kids Day on October 24 

Ancient City Kids Day is a free community event hosted at Francis Field in St. Augustine. It brings together local organizations that support children and families, and it offers a fun, welcoming space to learn about services available in our area. Tidal Resilience will be there to show up for our community, connect with families, and share our mission. We invite all families to stop by, explore the event, and discover resources that may be helpful during seasons of change or transition.

🔗 Ancient City Kids Day at Francis Field, St. Augustine

 

Save the date for the Fall Oyster Roast on November 21 

Our Spring Oyster Roast was a beautiful success, and we are excited to gather again this fall at Genung’s Fish Camp. Tickets will be available soon. Please help us spread the word.

 

Stay tuned for the rescheduled Resilience Ride 

We are working with Gamble Rogers State Park to set a new date. We look forward to offering this nature‑based healing experience soon.

 

Share a venue recommendation for our December events 

We are exploring options for our December Nights of Lights Boat Tour and a potential ‘Light the Tide’ - One Year of Tidal Resilience Celebration. If you know a facility or venue that may be interested in partnering with us to host either of these events, we would love to connect.

 

It still feels like the middle of summer in Florida, but did you know this Tuesday, September 22nd, is the fall equinox, the start of the fall season? For one day, daytime will be the same length as night, totally balanced. But then as soon as the season changes, we get a Great Tide. The tide gets bigger: higher highs and lower lows, and there is a bigger risk of the shoreline flooding. It has to make room for more water than usual.

 

Our own lives change seasons, too, and when we are in one we love where everything feels balanced, and all of a sudden it changes, it can feel like a Great Tide. It is too big, and it might feel like everything is flooding, changing the shore we used to find comfort in. But here is what the ocean and the river can teach us. The flood is not the end of the story. 

 

The tide always goes back out, even if the shore looks different. Maybe there are some areas that need extra care. Maybe things get rearranged. But one day at a time we can start to rebuild with a little help from each other, and that shoreline can end up being beautiful.

 

That is what resilience really means. It is not avoiding the flood, but trusting that the waters will go back down, and that we do not have to wait it out alone. That is part of why we paddle in pairs today, because the tides are easier to ride, and the flood is easier to weather, when someone is in the boat with you.

 

As we are out there today, I encourage you to notice how gently the water moves you and to remember how this same water has experienced thousands of its own Great Tides. I also encourage you to look around and notice that you are not alone out there, even when it feels like we are just floating in the wide open. Let us get out there together and ride the beautiful tides.

This month, we are spending time with Driving Down Heartache, a storytelling initiative created by Madisyn and Melissa Wandall. Driving Down Heartache is for young people and adults who have been affected by roadway tragedy. If someone has lost a loved one due to a roadway crash, whether Vehicle, Motorcycle, Scooter, Pedestrian and/or bicyclist they can share their story of their loved one on this site. Also  if someone is a survivor of a traffic related incident they, too, can add their story.  This site is about story sharing and the person they loved the most that died on our roadways.This is Melissa Mandall's way of educating the motoring public on WHY we make safe choices on our roadways as the end result of risky behavior is tragic. She i

invites children and families who have had a loved one die due to roadway tragedy to share their stories with Driving Down Heartache. 

 

Storytelling is one of the most meaningful ways children can express what they carry. Driving Down Heartache gives young people a safe place to name their experiences, honor their memories, and feel less alone. This aligns closely with our mission to support families through seasons of change and to help them find steadiness in the waves.

 

By partnering with The Mark Wandall Foundation, we are expanding our reach across Florida and strengthening the network of support available to grieving youth. Inviting families to share their stories deepens community connection and reminds us that resilience grows when we speak our truth and allow others to witness it.

We encourage families in our community to participate. A story can be a bridge, a release, or a moment of healing.

 

🔗 Submit a story to Driving Down Heartache

 

The Mark Wandall Foundation supports children, teens and young adults who have had a parent, sibling and/or guardian die.They do this through a partnership camp in April of each year, Equine Therapy at two farms, (twice monthly), Family Reconnects once a quarter and Scholarships.. Their work honors the belief that healing happens through connection, compassion, and shared experience. 

Our partnership allows us to share events, resources, and healing opportunities with the families we both serve, strengthening the shoreline of support across our coastal communities.

 

🔗 Learn more about The Mark Wandall Foundation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

www.tidalresilience.org

connect@tidalresilience.org