SF sisters help grieving families of the D.C. and Philadelphia plane crashes

SAN FRANCISCO - Two sisters from San Francisco are pitching in to support children affected by the Washington, D.C. and Philadelphia plane crashes by putting together and distributing "comfort kits."

Sadie and Sophia Cinader founded "Comfort Kits for Kids" eight years ago after experiencing their own personal loss.

"We realized it can be very isolating for people," Sadie said. "We found consolation in each other, but we wanted to make sure that other children going through grief didn't feel like they were alone."

Helping people through grief

The backstory:

Sadie and Sophia said that when they first started out, there weren't many kids at their school who could relate to the pain of losing loved ones. So the sisters reached out to others their age who could share their experiences, and sought to make connections with them.

Their efforts to gather resources for other children began with selling homemade lemonade at the park near their home. But "Comfort Kits for Kids" eventually began receiving donations from the community and toy stores, including from Just For Fun in San Francisco.

With the help from the community and through their own fundraising efforts, Sadie and Sophia have been able to gather enough notebooks, pens, personalize plush animals, fidget toys, and other items to bring comfort to kids around the country. 

The kits are carefully crafted to help young children express their feelings during tough times, and to remind them they're not alone.

"We write handwritten letters to each of the children to form that connection and let them know that we're here for them, we're offering a listening ear, they can write a letter back to us if they want to reach out," Sadie said. 

The sisters said they reached out to the ice-skating community following the mid-air collision over the Potomac River offering support, and were moved by the response.

"We have been getting some very touching letters back to us, and I'm really excited to be able to send these kits off," Sadie said.

What's next:

The Cinader sisters are set to part as Sadie heads off to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire and Sophia begins her freshman year of high school here in the Bay Area.

However, they said they are dedicated to continuing their work and outreach, regardless of whatever distance might stand between them.

"We definitely want to carry it on, even if we're going to be apart," Sadie said. "I think it's really important, especially when there's big news like plane crashes. It really touches our hearts, and I think, no matter where we are, we can still get together, we can raise money, and we can work to create these kits."

She added that through their years of work, she and Sophia have learned the immense value of cultivating a community of people with shared experiences who can rely on one another.

"We're all stronger together, and as many people we can connect in this community of people who have been through grief is very powerful," Sadie said.

If you'd like to follow their journey, request a comfort kit for a loved one, or support their efforts, check out "Comfort Kits for Kids" on Instagram @comfortkitsforkids.