A Conversation with Lisa Bolton of the Dandelion Project

Send us Fan MailThe Dandelion Project is holding its first New Jersey event on Saturday, October 11th. We’ll begin at 11:15 AM at the Townsquare Diner on Route 15 in Rockaway to recognize the awareness billboard that sheds light on the impact of drug overdoses.From 12:00–4:00 PM, the gathering continues at The Knotty Pine Pub in Wharton, NJ, bringing the community together for reflection, awareness, and support.=========================================================For more information on the Dandelion Project: https://dandelionproject.net/Lisa Bolton is the visionary founder of The Dandelion Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing grief support, education, and healing resources to individuals and families affected by loss, trauma, and substance use disorder. Born in Livingston, New Jersey, and later residing in Randolph, NJ, Lisa’s early years were shaped by the strong communities and values of northern New Jersey. (If you would like to add more about her childhood or family in NJ, I’m happy to help integrate that.)Her personal journey through grief and loss deeply informs her work:She lost her first-born son, “DJ,” in 1989 (a miscarriage), an experience that marked the beginning of her grief journey. Years later, she lost her stepdaughter, Quinn, in 2015 to Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis. In 2019, she lost her daughter Kerri to a heroin overdose laced with fentanyl and carfentanil. These profound losses inspired her to channel her grief into purpose. She founded The Dandelion Project to honor her children and to help others who are navigating the deepest valleys of sorrow. Professionally, Lisa is a grief support specialist and counselor, and she also holds roles in curriculum direction and grief counseling at Morrison Preschool. She is credentialed in several therapeutic and grief-support disciplines (e.g. GC-C, GCCA-C, CTRS-EC, BCMHC) per her LinkedIn profile. LinkedInUnder her leadership, The Dandelion Project is a certified 501(c)(3) nonprofit, offering grief services to bereaved parents, siblings, children, grandparents raising grandchildren, veterans, those affected by mental health challenges, and communities struggling with trauma and loss. Lisa is also co-founder of M.U.T.E. (Mothers United to Educate), a collaborative initiative aimed at raising awareness of substance use disorder and supporting families impacted by addiction. orlandovoyager.comHer commitment to remembrance and advocacy is visible in community practices she’s nurtured—writing names on rocks, holding “Black Balloon Day” remembrances, and gathering community rides and events to raise awareness. Lisa now resides in Florida, where she continues to expand The Dandelion Project’s reach and impact.***************************************************Beyond The Green is a Sleeping Bear Productions © 2025Hosted by Peter BarbounisIf you are interested in telling your Morris County story,  contact us at [email protected]