Support for family after a death
Free grief support groups in the Inland Empire
Several organizations in San Bernardino and Riverside counties run grief support groups that are free of charge or open to anyone, whether or not the person who died was on hospice. This page lists the ones we checked on each organization's own page in October 2026, with who they are for, where they meet and how to join. Schedules change, so call before your first visit. Our own bereavement program is listed at the end.
Reviewed by Beta Hospice compliance, October 12, 2026
On this page (6 sections)
How to use this list
A grief group is a place to sit with other people who have lost someone and to say things out loud that are hard to say at home. Some groups are open and ongoing, so you can come any week. Others run as a closed series of 8 to 13 weeks with the same people each time. Most are led by a counselor, chaplain or trained volunteer.
Every group below was checked on the organization's own website. Days, times and locations change, and some groups have a waiting list, so call or check the page before you go. Rows marked as needing confirmation could not be fully verified and are listed so that you can ask.
Community grief groups in San Bernardino and Riverside counties
| Group | Who it is for | Where | How to join | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kaiser Permanente Care at Home, Inland Empire bereavement groups | Adults grieving a death. Kaiser membership is not required | In person in Fontana (Palm Court II), Redlands, Corona and Murrieta, plus virtual groups by phone or video | Call Tara Mackie, LCSW, Inland Empire Bereavement Program Manager, at 909-368-7398, or see the Kaiser bereavement support page (opens in a new tab). Space is limited, so call ahead | Free of charge. The flyer says no charge for attendance and open to the community |
| Hospice at Redlands Community Hospital, Grief Support Group | Adults grieving a death | Fraternal Order of Eagles, 5200 West Ramsey, Banning. Second and fourth Tuesdays, 10 to 11 am. Call to confirm | Call Hospice at Redlands Community Hospital at 909-335-5643, or see the hospital's support groups page (opens in a new tab) | Free of charge. The page says no obligation, no registration and no fees |
| The Compassionate Friends, Inland Empire Chapter | Parents, grandparents and adult siblings after the death of a child of any age | Online by Zoom. Second and fourth Tuesdays at 7 pm. The chapter is based in Riverside | Call Kristan at 951-265-3820 for the Zoom link, or see the chapter page (opens in a new tab) | The Compassionate Friends chapters do not charge for meetings. Call to confirm |
| GriefShare at Trinity Church, Redlands | Adults grieving a death. A 13-week series with video and discussion, from a Christian perspective. Open to anyone | 1551 Reservoir Road, Redlands. Mondays, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, September 14 to December 14, 2026. Call to confirm the next series | Call Mary Weiler at 909-335-7333, ext. 1400, or see the group page (opens in a new tab) | Open to the public. |
| GriefShare at Water of Life Community Church, Fontana | Adults grieving a death. A 13-week series with video and discussion, from a Christian perspective. Open to anyone | 7623 East Avenue, Fontana. Mondays, 6:30 to 8:30 pm, August 10 to November 9, 2026. Call to confirm the next series | See the church's GriefShare page (opens in a new tab) and register there, or call the church | Open to the public. |
| Beta Hospice bereavement program | Family and close friends of the people we served, for 13 months after a death | By phone, by letter, by visit and in groups. | Contact us and ask for the bereavement team, or see bereavement support | Part of hospice care. Families are not billed separately for the hospice bereavement program |
Details come from each organization's own page as of October 2026. Beta does not run or endorse the community groups and does not receive anything for listing them.
Which group is right for you?
If you want to come when you can and leave when you need to, an open group such as the Kaiser or Redlands Community Hospital groups fits. If you want a structured course with the same people each week, a GriefShare series fits, and the Christian framing suits some people and not others. If your child has died, The Compassionate Friends is made for that loss and nothing else. If a child in your family is grieving, ask about the Mourning Star Center or ask our social worker for a current children's program.
Many people try a group once and find it is not for them. Try another, or ask your doctor or health plan for a counselor. See bereavement support for other ways to get help, including 211 and the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
What to ask when you call
- Is the group open to anyone, or only to the organization's own patients and families?
- Is it ongoing, or a series with a start date and a waiting list?
- Is there a fee for a workbook or materials?
- Is it in person, online or both, and is it in English only?
- Is it for any loss, or for a specific loss such as a child or a spouse?
Groups in Spanish
Spanish-language grief groups in the Inland Empire are fewer and change often. Call 211 and ask for grief support in Spanish, ask your parish or congregation, or ask our bereavement team. See Spanish-speaking hospice.
Common questions
Do I have to have used hospice to join a community grief group?
No. The groups above are open to anyone grieving a death, as long as the group's own rules fit your loss. The Kaiser groups do not require Kaiser membership.
How soon after a death should I go to a group?
There is no right time. Some people come within weeks, others after a year. Open groups let you start whenever you are ready. A GriefShare series starts on set dates, so you may wait for the next one.
Do grief groups cost money?
The community groups above are free of charge or open to the public, with a possible fee for a workbook in GriefShare series. The hospice bereavement program is part of hospice care, and families are not billed separately for it.
Can Beta's bereavement team help me find a group?
Yes. Our bereavement contact can point you to current groups and other community resources. Beta offers grief support to the family for 13 months after a death. See bereavement support.
About this page
- Written by
- Beta Hospice care team
- Reviewed by
- Beta Hospice compliance
- Last reviewed
- October 12, 2026
- Next review
- April 12, 2027
How we write and review this site
Sources
- National Institute on Aging: Coping with grief and loss (opens in a new tab)
- 42 CFR 418.64: Core services, including bereavement counseling (opens in a new tab)
- Medicare.gov: Hospice care coverage (opens in a new tab)
These sources support the general information on this page. For one personās care and coverage, talk with the hospice team.
You do not have to decide alone.
Call (844) 646-4434 any time, or leave your number and someone from Beta's hospice team will call you. No decision is needed to call. Most families start with a question.
Only a hospice doctor, together with the personās own doctor, can confirm hospice eligibility. A website cannot.
- A nurse answers 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
- You can stop hospice at any time
- You have the right to choose your hospice