Photos: SIBSPlace brings the Bowl-A-Thon to RVC

SIBSPlace is a Rockville Centre-based nonprofit organization affiliated with Mount Sinai South Nassau hospital that provides cost-free programming to more than 300 Long Island children, between the ages of 5 and 18, who are coping with the life-threatening illness of a sibling or parent.

SIBS — Survivorship in Brothers and Sisters — was first established in 2000 by a collective of families in the Five Towns with the goal of providing a family-like atmosphere for children receiving support and counseling, where they can develop coping skills and engage in fun activities outside of school.

Before making the move to its Merrick Road location in Rockville Centre, SIBS would host an annual Bowl-A-Thon at Woodmere Lanes to help raise money to maintain its programming. To try and bring some of the fun and excitement of this event to its new hometown, organizers invited the Rockville Centre community to come out to Maple Lanes on May 10 and show their support.

Since its programs are provided to families at no cost, they depend on the generosity of the surrounding community to help sustain its modest cost of operations. Throughout the year SIBSPlace will host a variety of functions with the goal of raising money. These include an annual spring benefit concert at the Bellmore Playhouse and its annual fall fundraiser gala in October.

Since its inception, 24 years ago, SIBSPlace has expanded significantly, broadening the scope of services offered to families in need, while maintaining its mission to help children struggling to cope with the sickness or loss of a loved one by fostering resilience while enhancing emotional vocabulary, self-expression, and self-awareness through activities facilitated by mental health staff.

SIBSPlace offers prevention-based counseling, educational programs and social activities that are truly transformative, and help to create a sense of community. To learn more about SIBSPlace, visit SIBSPlace.org.