Widow Match Program Reaches Milestone Program offers support and hope for widows

(Simi Valley, CA) April 8, 2008 – Widow Match, a unique program designed to provide widows of similar circumstances an opportunity to offer each other support via the Internet, has reached a major milestone. Nearly 350 widows have signed up and have been matched, since the program’s launch in late December 2007. “I know firsthand what it’s like to lose a spouse and talking to other widows was a tremendous comfort. They could relate to what I was going through better than my family and friends,” said Michele Hernandez, creator of Widow Match. “And, the emails I receive from the widows who are part of Widow Match all convey the same sentiment.”

Hernandez lost her husband to a tragic accident in 2005. After his death, over the course of one year, she visited 28 widows across the country, traveling as far as Alaska. It was from her experience of bonding with these widows, that Hernandez developed the idea for creating Widow Match. “The beauty of Widow Match is that it connects women from all geographical areas. For example, my personal match lives in Austin, Texas. Thanks to the Internet, the distance is not a factor. We are there for each other every day,” said Hernandez. Women signing up for the program range in age from 21 to 86 with the length of time since the loss of their husbands ranging from two weeks to seventeen years.

Widow Match allows widows to share their experiences with another widow and offer one another comfort in ways that a family member cannot. Widow Match is not intended to take the place of professional counseling and is not a forum for spiritual guidance. “The purpose of Widow Match is to give women an opportunity to be both healed and healer, friend in need and shoulder to cry on, and both listening ear as well as compassionate listener. The death of a married man creates a widow, but determination, courage and faith create a survivor … women paired by Widow Match are helping each other become survivors, one e-mail at a time,” said Hernandez.

Hernandez has received hundreds of emails from widows since the program’s launch, expressing overwhelming gratitude: “It is so nice to be in touch with people who truly understand what it is like; thank you for all your support.” “I cannot put into words how having someone I know understands to communicate with has helped me.” “I really feel this is a service that can benefit so many women across our country.”

The Widow Match program is open to all widows and anyone wanting to sign up for the program may do so by logging onto www.widowsbond.com. Click on the widow match tab and simply fill out the required fields.

About Michele Neff Hernandez:
Michele Hernandez is a freelance writer and motivational speaker. She is the creator of the Web site www.widowsbond.com and has made reaching out to other widows her mission. She resides in Simi Valley, CA with her three children. For more information about Michele Neff Hernandez and the Widow Match program, visit www.widowsbond.com.