Team Sharing, Inc. on Community Connections
- WMCT-TV News
- 1 day ago
- 3 min read
Finding Community Through Shared Grief: Team Sharing, Inc.
In a powerful episode of Community Connections, host Ryan Malyar sits down with Cheryl Juaire, founder of Team Sharing, Inc., to explore how community and connection can help heal the deepest wounds of loss.
From Isolation to Community
Cheryl's journey began with unimaginable pain—losing her son Corey to an overdose on February 24, 2011. For three years, she grieved alone, crying every day, not knowing anyone else who had lost a child to substance use disorder. That isolation changed forever when she met other bereaved mothers at a restaurant gathering in 2015.
"Everything that we shared, we understood," Cheryl recalls. "We all understood. And we became this incredible community that we call family."
What Team Sharing Does
Today, Team Sharing has grown to over 5,000 members nationwide, providing crucial support to families who have lost children to substance use disorder. The organization operates on a simple but profound principle: no one should ever have to grieve alone.
Key Programs & Initiatives:
Community Connection: Regular in-person gatherings, dinners, and events ensure families never feel isolated in their grief. From International Overdose Awareness Day commemorations to cruises and holiday celebrations, Team Sharing creates spaces where parents can heal together.
Christmas Card Exchange: A beloved tradition that brings joy back to the holidays for families who have lost children. Members exchange cards "in memory of" their loved ones, creating a tangible reminder that they're part of a caring community.
Holiday Gift Program: For nine years, Team Sharing has provided gifts to children who have lost parents to substance use disorder. The program operates in two ways—shipping gifts nationwide and hosting live events at the Marlboro Elks with Santa, food, entertainment, and special presents limited to $100 per child.
Overdose Awareness License Plates: After a challenging four-year campaign starting in 2021, Team Sharing successfully launched a specialty license plate in Massachusetts. The plates not only raise funds for the organization but also create connections on the road—drivers with plates honking and waving at each other in recognition of their shared experience.
Each plate comes with an "overdose awareness pack" containing Narcan kits, recovery resources from the Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery (MOAR), and information about local support services.
Advocacy Work: Cheryl served on the unsecured creditors committee in the Purdue Pharmaceuticals bankruptcy case, working for six years to secure compensation for victims and funding for treatment, recovery, and prevention programs. The case was finally confirmed in November, with victims beginning to receive compensation.
Recognition & Impact
Cheryl was recently honored with the Scott Award for community service by the Regional Chamber of Commerce—a testament to Team Sharing's profound impact on the Marlboro community and beyond.
In 2018, she organized a march around Purdue Pharmaceuticals headquarters with over 400 parents, each carrying pictures of their lost children and demanding accountability.
The Loneliness Epidemic
Ryan and Cheryl discuss the growing loneliness epidemic—declared a public health issue by the U.S. Surgeon General—and how finding community is essential for human wellbeing. Whether through hobbies, service, or shared experiences, connecting with others fulfills a fundamental human need.
For the families of Team Sharing, that connection has been lifesaving.
Get Involved
Whether you're a parent who has lost a child to substance use disorder, know someone who needs support, or want to help through the specialty license plate program, Team Sharing welcomes you.
Learn More:
Website: teamsharinginc.org
Facebook: Team Sharing or Cheryl Juaire's page
Upcoming: 5K in May (details on website)
Get the License Plate: Visit the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles website and search for specialty plates, or contact Team Sharing for a direct link. The plates cost $40, with proceeds supporting grief support programs and services.
Remember: No one ever has to be alone.
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