About the Book

When a friend or family member is dealing with illness, grief, crisis, overwhelm, or the demands of caregiving, the instinct to help is immediate—but knowing what to say or do can be hard. Natalie Silverstein offers clear, caring guidance for supporting others in ways that are useful, meaningful, and truly comforting.

Through short reflective essays, practical suggestions, and beautifully designed reminders, Simple Acts of Care helps readers understand how small gestures can offer real comfort in difficult times.

Here’s what makes Simple Acts of Care an essential guide for supporting others:

  • Practical Guidance for Hard Moments: Clear advice for what to say, what to do, and how to support someone who is hurting.
  • For Grief, Illness, Caregiving, and Crisis: A helpful resource for showing up during loss, medical challenges, difficult transitions, and life upheaval.
  • Compassionate and Easy to Use: Short essays, reflective prompts, and full-color illustrations make the book approachable and reassuring.
  • A Meaningful Gift for Difficult Times: A supportive book for friends, families, support groups, workplaces, and caregiving communities.

Simple Acts of Care is a compassionate guide for anyone who wants to help a grieving friend, support a caregiver, comfort a loved one during illness or loss, and show up with empathy when words feel hard to find.

Meet the Author

Natalie Silverstein is an author, podcast host, and nonprofit founder. She is the author of Simple Acts: The Busy Family’s Guide to Giving Back (2019), named one of the Top Books for Parents Who Want to Raise Kind Kids by HuffPost, and Simple Acts: The Busy Teen’s Guide to Making a Difference (2022). She hosts the award-winning Simple Acts, Big Impact podcast. Natalie is the New York coordinator for Doing Good Together, a national nonprofit dedicated to helping families engage in meaningful service. She is a founding member of Impact 100 NYC, a women’s giving circle that has distributed over one million dollars to nonprofits. Along with her husband, she is co-founder of The Silverstein Foundation for Parkinson’s with GBA. Natalie holds a master’s degree in public health from Yale University and lives in New York City with her husband and three children.

Meet the Illustrator

R.A. Smith is an illustrator and graphic designer based in Sonoma County, California. Her illustration work includes the picture books Fun in the Mud, Little Loon Finds His Voice, Our Friend Moon, and Our Friend Earth. She has also illustrated adult nonfiction titles including Embrace the Work, Love Your Career, Balance Is Bullsh*t, Reflect and Reset, and Simple Acts of Care. Regina is passionate about bringing stories to life through pictures and thoughtful design. Her work is rooted in traditional drawing and painting, combined with vector graphics. She collaborates with local entrepreneurs and authors, as well as independent publishers.

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