Kids losing a parent is more common than you think. How this Pensacola group is helping
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When it feels like there are no right words to offer someone grieving the loss of a loved one, sometimes it keeps them from saying anything at all.
Sadly, the ones who can say it best are the ones who have lived through the experience themselves.
Valerie’s House Pensacola, the area’s only nonprofit organization devoted solely to child grief support, came to Pensacola in late 2020 to help remove that isolating, uncomfortable feeling for children ages 5 to 18 who have suffered the loss of a parent or sibling.
Starting with only 15 children and their caregivers, the chapter has grown to serve over 300 in less than three years. The organization has two full-time staff, two part-time staff and 53 volunteers.
Now, Valerie’s House receives referrals weekly from the Department of Children and Families, first responders and schools for at-risk children grieving the loss of a parent or sibling.
The overall goal of the organization is that 70% to 80% of the children who attend Valerie’s House groups for at least six months to see a dramatic progress such as the ability to talk about their loss, to trust someone new in their life and to have hope for the future.
They learn the skills to navigate difficult moments like when a classmate catches them off guard and asks a jarring question, like “how did they die?” or they feel the sadness and resentment in every Christmas tree and department store window that reminds them of family memories.
The Pensacola chapter was founded by Crista Brandt, who is one of those that understand the lingering feelings of grief after losing her mother to cancer at 11 years old.
She persevered in securing funding for the program to have a permanent home of its own in 2023: the Chadbourne Foundation Home at 904 E. Gadsden St. It came equipped with everything they needed to make the children feel at home when they showed up for a session. Everything except a kitchen, which will soon change after the organization was selected as an IMPACT 100 recipient last month.
Brandt’s grant application, fittingly named “The Kitchen is the Heart of a Home,” details how a critical part of the Valerie’s House model is to serve a meal before each group night for children and their caretakers, which takes place eight to 10 times every month. However, with only a kitchenette currently, they make the most of carry-out meals. With their new kitchen, they will be able to provide nourishing, home-cooked meals.
These group times are built around peer-to-peer support and are cherished moments for staff and families. According to the kids, the process is working.
What does a group session look like at Valerie’s House?
When walking through the doors of Valerie’s House for the first time, some youth have never put the feelings behind losing a loved one into words. Though they will tell you it isn’t the fuzzy rugs or couches that make the families feel at home, it’s a place filled with familiar feelings and experiences.
Annabelle Chadbourne, 14, remembers what it was like to walk the school hallways after her dad died unexpectedly. She kept her feelings to herself; she watched her grades drop and felt like she didn’t belong in places that used to be familiar.
“Even when you’re doing your best, it doesn’t always feel like it’s enough,” Chadbourne said. “I didn’t really know anyone who had gone through the same thing as me.”
Then she met fellow Valerie's House client Emma Rathbun, 13, and heard herself in Rathbun's stories.
“I held those emotions in for months,” Rathbun said of the death of her mother, Christine Rathbun.
She remembers how it felt like there was “no point in trying” to talk to people about it because she knew they would never understand.
“I know exactly how you feel,” Chadbourne chimed in.
“As soon as I realized everyone else’s stories, I got comfortable about mine,” Chadbourne said.
According to Brandt, these connections are intentionally nurtured at Valerie’s House. Through seemingly lighthearted games like grief Jenga, where the children take turns answering personal questions after pulling a piece. There, they feel safe enough to share without judgment.
“Here, you learn to normalize,” Brandt said of the children explaining their grief. “Knowing it’s okay to feel (emotions) and being able to identify what they are.”
One exercise they work on in group sessions, Rathbun’s favorite, is meditation exercise where a chocolate Hershey’s Kiss is used as a point of focus. With a meditation instructor guiding them, one regular leader being program coordinator Jennifer Elzweig, they focus on being in the moment while also coming face to face with their memories.
Other exercises include decorating masks, with each color representing a different emotion, to reflect how they feel on the inside and outside.
They lean on one another through peer-to-peer support and make connections, and over time, the progress starts to show.
Even though Chadbourne didn’t quite know how to explain her feelings before, with over a year of Valerie’s House sessions, she can now articulate to you how learning of her father’s death felt like a nuclear bomb.
They also began realizing how many more kids out there they relate to, despite how alone they felt at first.“There have to be more kids out there,” Rathbun said.
How does the organization support caregivers?
The Valerie's House model supports the whole family by offering family fun activities and educational opportunities for caregivers.
They help caregivers to relax and find others that they relate to.
Oftentimes it is difficult for the caretakers to process their own emotions, as they are focused on working through the grief of their own children.
Bruce Rathbun, Emma's father, described the “denial” that comes after the loss, before allowing yourself to feel all the emotions of it.
“One thing in the American culture is we don’t have a set grieving process,” Rathbun said
You get a lot of people trying to tell you how to feel and cope with the loss, which Rathbun found to be one of the worst parts.
At Valerie’s House, you’re just allowed to feel whatever emotion you have at the time.
How common is it to meet a child who has lost a loved one?
In research published by the 2022 Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model published by Colorado-based bereavement center Judi’s House, one child out of every 11 in Florida will have a parent or sibling die before graduating from high school.
In Escambia County alone, one in 11 children will lose a parent or sibling by the age of 18. In Santa Rosa County, it is one in 14.
On a broader level, the Department of Juvenile Justice found that 30% of the children in Florida’s juvenile detection system suffered the loss of a parent or sibling.
This has made them five times more likely to suffer from depression and anxiety, and five times more likely to struggle with addiction.
Studies show that bereavement has the strongest influence on school outcomes of any form of trauma.
Aside from being able to speak more openly about their grief, Brandt said she has seen academic performance go up, in addition to better concentration during the school day.
“Most kids do struggle in school after losing someone,” Brandt said.
More updates and information can be found on the Valerie's House Pensacola chapter website.
Crista Brandt on Real News with Rick Outzen
/Valerie’s House, the leading nonprofit dedicated to helping children grieving the death of a loved one, is pleased to announce the appointment of Crista Brandt as the Northwest Florida Director. Brandt brings her extensive managerial experience and personal passion for supporting grieving children to this pivotal role.
Brandt’s journey with Valerie’s House began when she spearheaded the launch of the Pensacola Chapter in late 2020. As a dedicated volunteer for two years, Brandt played a crucial role in serving grieving families in the community. Now, as the Northwest Florida Director, she will lead Valerie’s House Pensacola full-time, providing invaluable support to those grieving a loss.
Valerie’s House Pensacola Volunteers
Valerie’s House Wave to Remember
/Local Pulse Pensacola
By Elli Gentile
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“There’s beauty in community and connection even through loss,” said Crista Brandt, Director, Advisory Board Chair, and Founder of Valerie’s House Pensacola.
Last Thursday, June 8, over one hundred members of our community came together at Pensacola Beach’s Park West to honor and remember loved ones they have lost. As one big family, they decorated biodegradable lanterns with notes and memories to their loved ones before lighting them and releasing them into the sound.
Among their services, Valerie’s House provides open-ended peer support groups and activities for children to heal after a significant loss in their life. Valerie’s House is not a formal counseling center. It is a community and a platform for individuals to come together, share, and mentor each other through their grief.
Before the lantern lighting ceremony, kids played in the sand and water, laughed with each other, and were surrounded by love, encouragement, and empathy.
“My mom and I found Valerie’s House, and our hearts and minds were touched. It’s been very therapeutic for me helping others. It’s given me a new sense of meaning,” said Elijah, 18, who lost his father recently and now volunteers with Valerie’s House.
The Wave of Remembrance event was the first of its kind for Valerie’s House and definitely won’t be the last. The timing of this event was also purposeful. Mother’s Day and Father’s Day can be a hard time for many of these families, especially the ones who have lost moms and dads, so Valerie’s House wanted to host something special for them between the two holidays.
Thursday was also the same day that an awful thunderstorm rocked Pensacola in the late afternoon. But even after such a severe thunderstorm, a magical Pensacola sunset appeared afterward. An analogy to finding peace and happiness after loss.
“We love analogies at Valerie’s House, and today was a perfect example. A beautiful sunset after such a terrible storm,” said Jennifer Elzweig, Program Manager at Valerie’s House.
To start the ceremony, Jennifer introduced a handful of children who read poems dedicated to the loved ones they have lost while everyone gathered in a circle around them. After that, everyone in the circle said the name of the person they were honoring before lighting their lantern and releasing it.
The evening was filled with laughter and love but also tears and grief. A concept that is commonly discussed at Valerie’s House. Grief comes in waves and has no timeline. It’s okay to feel angry and sad, but it is also okay to feel happy again.
Valerie’s House provides a space for all of those feelings to be felt, and we are fortunate to have such an incredible space to support members of our community who are going through such loss. Thank you for allowing me to photograph and be a part of your special evening.
For more information and to learn how to get involved with Valerie’s House, visit https://valerieshouse.org. Currently, some of their biggest needs are meal donations on peer nights, male volunteers, and a contractor to help them build out their kitchen.
Link to the news article: https://localpulse.com/2023/06/valeries-house-wave-to-remember/
Valerie's House Pensacola offers a safe place for children who have lost a loved one
/WUWF 88.1
By Bob Barrett
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Angela Melvin was ten years old in 1987 when her mother, Valerie, was killed in a car accident in Fort Myers. It was a day that set her on a path to find a way to help young people like herself deal with a devastating loss. In 2016, that path finally led her to open Valerie’s House, a Florida-based nonprofit dedicated to helping children who have lost a loved one.
“We’re a special place for grieving children located in Fort Myers, Naples, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, and now we’re in Pensacola, Florida," said Melvin in a recorded message on the Valerie’s House website. “Our mission is to help children and families work through their grief together, not alone, and go on to live fulfilling lives.”
The same year Angela suffered her loss, Crista Brandt lost her mother to cancer. Eventually, their paths crossed.
“When Angela started the Valerie’s House down in Southwest Florida, they expanded incredibly fast," said Brandt. “There’s just a massive need that many communities aren’t aware of. Then in 2020, we (started a Valerie’s House chapter) here in Pensacola after Angela and I met and bonded over our shared experiences of losing our moms at a very young age.”
Crista Brandt holds a photo of her mother
Crista Brandt is the founder and regional director of the Pensacola Chapter of Valerie’s House. Once she got the local chapter up and running, she discovered that there were plenty of kids who could use the support Valerie’s House had to offer.
“You’d be surprised how many kids there are grieving in our area," said Brandt. “What we do know is that 1 in 14 children in Santa Rosa County, and 1 in 11 in Escambia (County) are predicted to lose a parent or sibling by the age of 18.”
For the first couple of years, the local chapter held its group sessions at the Big Brothers/Big Sisters headquarters in Pensacola. Late last year, they found and purchased a new, permanent location on East Gadsden Street thanks to a $500,000 donation from the Chadbourne Foundation. The home, which had recently been used as a law office, was built in 1904 and has almost 2,500 square feet of space, most of which will be used for client intake, group support meetings, snacking, and anything that meets the needs of young people who have suffered a loss, and their caregivers.
“Really, the biggest thing with children who have lost somebody they are close to is that they don’t even understand all the various emotions that they are feeling," said Brandt, sitting on a sofa in one of the many group-meeting rooms at the new location. “(Most of) society in general just puts ‘sadness’ as the main emotion that accompanies grief. But it’s actually not. And, especially in kids, it comes out and comes across in other ways. So, what we help them do is focus, understand (and) identify all the various emotions. We talk about what those are. There’s a lot of guilt; some are worried, some are anxious, depressed. Anger is a very big one. So we help them understand those so they can recognize that those are all normal feelings and it’s okay. Now, how do we actually work and process through those.”
Brandt says another important part of the Valerie’s House experience is connecting children with others in their same age group who are going through the same feelings of loss.
“They normally aren’t going to know anybody else in their immediate circle going through, or has gone through, a loss similar to them. So, when they come to Valerie’s House, what we give them is that connection with other kids, their same age, going through similar experiences so that they know that they are not alone.”
The bottom line for the group is trying to prevent the consequences of unsupported grief, not only for the children, but also for society as well.
“We know that 30% of the children in Florida’s juvenile detention system have lost a parent," explained Brandt. “We know that those who are unsupported are more likely to partake in small, petty criminal activities, risk-taking behavior, self-harming behavior, they are five times more likely to struggle with addiction and five times more likely to struggle with anxiety and depression way into adulthood. We’re not just changing the trajectory of kids’ lives today, but we are really changing the trajectory of their lives in the future and the lives that they will touch in the future.”
The main focus of Valerie’s House is on school-age children, from K through 12. Caregivers also meet while the young people are having their sessions, and accommodations can be made for very young children, if for nothing else, than to give caregivers a break so that the older kids can get the help they need.
Currently, there are no specific sub-groups for children who have lost siblings rather than parents or for sudden, violent losses, but Brandt says that is a goal for the future.
“Someone who dies from cancer is a different situation from someone who is murdered. So we want to be able to hone in on more of the loss-specific circumstances and offer very specific group nights," said Brandt. "That’s something that we will grow into. Right now, everybody comes together, no matter what their loss is."
The Valerie’s House chapter in Pensacola has only two paid full-time employees and one part-timer. The rest of the organization is run by volunteers. They will be holding another volunteer training session in late July, just before the new school year begins. Volunteers are needed on group nights to be group buddies. Help is also needed for running community events and even some of the administration work; it all depends on a volunteer’s skills, experience, and availability.
“We are growing with our volunteer base," added Brandt. "We are incredibly thankful. We actually have a lot of volunteers from UWF. Some whom have had loss in their childhood. They are also healing as they help the children heal. It’s really a beautiful process.”
There are about 250 people enrolled in the local Valerie’s House program. Brandt says the easiest way to get information about enrolling or volunteering is on their Facebook page.
Link to the news article: https://www.wuwf.org/local-news/2023-06-12/valeries-house-pensacola-offers-a-safe-place-for-children-who-have-lost-a-loved-one
Valerie’s House New Location Supports Grieving Families
/When a friend of mine invited me to attend Valerie House’s open house Friday, April 21 I had no idea who Valerie was or what her mission was, but hearing the passion in my friend’s voice I knew I wanted to learn more.
Walking into 904 East Gadsden Street, I immediately knew I was part of something special. The cozy, historic home was full of people from all walks of life — children and adults who are either already part of the Valerie House story, or would like to be in some shape, way or form.
On arrival, I was greeted by the ‘why’ of Valerie’s House and their names are Angela Melvin and Crista Brandt. Valerie’s House was founded by Angela whose mother, Valerie, died in a car accident in 1987 when Angela was just 10 years old. Crista’s mother passed away when she was just 11 years old.
Angela and Crista bonded over their losses and shared experiences. One being the lack of resources when it came to managing their grief as children. As a result, Valerie’s House was born.
The mission of Valerie’s House is to help children and families work through the loss of a loved one together and go on to live fulfilling lives. Their vision is that No Child Will Grieve Alone. It’s a safe place for children, teens and adults to work through their feelings with other individuals their age who have experienced something similar.
Among their services, Valerie’s House provides open-ended peer support groups and activities for children to heal after a significant loss in their life. Valerie’s House is not a formal counseling center. It is a community and a platform for individuals to come together, share, and mentor each other through their grief.
The new Pensacola location serves around 100 families in our area, hosting an average of 50 individuals on group nights. Groups meet twice a month for dinner before breaking off into separate peer groups to discuss feelings, struggles, healing, and how they move through school and life with their loss. Many activities rely on the use of art and music to help youth identify, express, and process their grief. While the adult/parent room is often accompanied by a licensed therapist.
The new location on Gadsden Street was made possible by a local Pensacola family foundation. In December 2022, The Chadbourne Foundation donated $500,000 for the purchase of the new Valerie’s House.
After touring the home and meeting many families and people who have been impacted by this organization, I was able to take away something very important.
Grief is not linear — it has no timelines, progression forward, or definitive time frame of when you’re going to ‘be healed.’ Some days you’re okay and some days you’re not. Valerie’s House provides a space for both of those days and we are fortunate to have such an incredible space to support members of our community who are going through such loss.
For more information and to learn how to get involved with Valerie’s House visit https://valerieshouse.org. Currently some of their biggest needs are meal donations on peer nights, male volunteers, and a contractor to help them build out their kitchen.
Valerie’s House Pensacola talks mission and helping children and families cope with grief
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MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - Founder of Valerie’s House Pensacola Chapter, Crista O’Keefe Brandt, and Jenni Elzweig, project manager at VHP, stopped by Studio 10 to talk about the non-profit organization.
VHP’s mission is dedicated to helping children and families cope with grief. The organization’s vision is, “No child will grieve alone.” VHP offers a place for children, teens, and adults to work through their feelings with other their age who have experienced something similar.
VHP offers:
Peer support groups
Individual grief therapy
Family support
To learn more, click HERE.
IP Awards $63,000 In Grants To 21 Local Nonprofits
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International Paper’s Pensacola Mill awarded $63,000 in International Paper Foundation grants this week to 21 local organizations, in conjunction with the company’s commitment to education, hunger, health and wellness, disaster relief and initiatives that improve our planet.
“We are pleased to support local organizations in their efforts to make a difference in education, hunger, health and wellness and disaster relief,” said Whitney Fike, International Paper communications manager. “These grants help organizations fund new yearly projects and programs that support their critical mission and impact those in need in our own community.”
For more photos, click or tap here.
Local community organizations and their projects awarded grants for 2022:
Ascension Sacred Heart Foundation – Pediatric Health and Wellness Clinic
Autism Pensacola – 2023 Kids for Camp Summer Learning Lab
Bright Bridge Ministries – Hot, Healthy Meals
Capstone Adaptive Learning and Therapy Centers – Expression through Language
Children’s Home Society – After School and Summer Learning Gains and Enrichment
Council on Aging of West Florida – Windmill Generator Kits for Kids
Covenant Hospice Foundation – My Wish to Terminally Ill Children and Adults
Escambia Search and Rescue – Project Lifesaver International Program
Feeding the Gulf Coast – Backpack Program: Weekend Meals for Children
Foodraising Friends – Food in the Home Everyday
Health and Hope Clinic – Strengthening Clinic Capacity for Care
Jim Allen Elementary – B.E.S.T. Books for Reading
Lakeview Center – Supporting Youth in Group Homes
Manna Food Bank – Healthy Kids Initiative
Pace Band Boosters – Pace Band New Threads
Pace Center for Girls – Literacy Intervention
Pensacola Little Theatre – A Face of Arts Education and the Art of Movement
ReadyKids! – Ready Readers
Ronald McDonald House of Northwest Florida – Heart to Heart
The Arc Gateway – Big Impacts for Children through Access to Tools and Materials
Valerie’s House – No Child Grieves Alone, Group Night Activities
Grants were determined after careful committee review with local team members. Recommendations are subsequently reviewed by the International Paper Foundation’s grants committee, which then must be confirmed and ratified by the foundation’s board of trustees.
Grants are awarded once a year. Organizations are invited to take an eligibility assessment at www.ipgiving.com to see if their program is eligible to apply for funding.
Valerie's House finds new home to help more children and families through grief
/After looking for a permanent home to continue their mission of grief support, Valerie's House-Pensacola has finally found a new location to settle in.
Valerie’s House- Pensacola Memory Wall
The new location, located at 904 East Gadsden Street, was made possible by the Chadbourne Foundation and will finally allow Valerie House to have their own permanent space to grow and offer programming to as many different groups of children as possible. The Chadbourne Foundation, under the leadership of Caroline and Brian DeMaria, donated $500,000 for the purchase of the home.
“We are just incredibly grateful and so excited to get into the space and transform it and make it our own so that it makes just that warm, inviting and fun environment,” said Valerie’s House-Pensacola founder Crista Brandt.
Brandt, who lost her mother when she was 11 years old, did not know how to communicate her grief since she did not know anyone else who was also going through a similar experience. That missing link of having others to speak with is why she now dedicates herself to connecting children with other children who are grieving just like she once was.
The original Valerie's House was founded in Fort Myers in January 2016 by Angela Melvin, whose mother Valerie, died in a car accident in 1987.
The houses provide a peer to peer support model that helps children share, connect and build bonds with other kids their age that are dealing with similar experiences. This provides opportunities for children to become aware of their feelings and find ways to manage them by not feeling alone in their journey.
In Florida, one in 12 children will experience the death of a sibling or parent by age 18, according to the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model. One in 11 children in Escambia and one in 14 in Santa Rosa county will experience the death of a parent or sibling by the age of 18.
Children who have lost a parent, without the support of others and the tools to know how to grieve, often turn to risk-taking and self-harming behaviors, drugs, criminal activity and other disorders to cope with grief, according to Valerie's House leadership.
This means there are close to 9,000 children in the area who are grieving.
Valerie's House has expanded into three additional locations beyond Fort Myers − Naples, Port Charlotte and Pensacola − and serve over 3,000 children and families combined.
The Pensacola branch was opened in 2021 and because it did not have a brick and mortar location was operating out of the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida building at 1320 Creighton Road for its meetings.
The program started off with about 20 children and now has grown to more than 100 children and caregivers in just a year.
Valerie House currently has two groups who attend twice-a-month peer support groups.
The new house is expected to serve more families, growing the program from two groups to eight groups. It will allow for the ability to tailor groups to specific needs such as the loss of a child, violent/traumatic death and grandparents raising children. Children and families who participate in the group sessions will also have the ability to call or visit Valerie’s House at any time during the day for additional support.
For Brandt, their success depends on the community and the support of volunteers as all of their group nights are run by trained volunteers. These include trained therapists, counselors, teachers, students from University of West Florida and others.
As a fully funded 501 c3 nonprofit, every dollar matters so donations and grants are vital to running their programs. If people cannot volunteer, there are other opportunities to help out such as sponsoring a meal for the families, buying furniture or art supplies for activities, or even hanging out and talking with the families.
Valerie’s House- Pensacola Group Night
“What they're bringing to the community is just going to change the lives of so many children. It'll change the trajectory of their lives, because the kids will learn early on ways to cope with the many emotions of grief that they're feeling and dealing with and help prevent them from adopting unhealthy coping mechanisms,” Brandt said. “And it really protects and supports the entire community. And it's just a beautiful gift that they're giving to me, to Valerie's House-Pensacola, to Valerie's House's entire organization and to the community of Pensacola.”
Valerie’s House in Pensacola receives $500,000 donation to expand into new home
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Valerie’s House Staff
PENSACOLA, Fla. (WKRG) — Valerie’s House, a non-profit in Pensacola with the sole mission of helping children grieve the death of a family member, will expand into a new home thanks to the generosity of a $500,000 donation from a Pensacola foundation.
The Chadbourne Foundation has donated $500,000 for the purchase of the new Valerie’s House in Pensacola. The Chadbourne Foundation, under the leadership of Caroline and Brian DeMaria, made the donation after getting to know the mission by knowing participants who benefited from attending support groups at Valerie’s House in Pensacola. Valerie’s House – The Chadbourne Foundation Home for Grieving Families will be located inside a cozy, historic home at 904 East Gadsden Street.
“When Valerie’s House Pensacola started providing grief support services in late 2020; they did so without a lot of fanfare and $5,000 in the bank,” Caroline C DeMaria, President, The Chadbourne Foundation, said. “VHP didn’t come to our community riding the coat tails of a big capital campaign. Rather, VHP hit the ground running with its proven grief support model, and immediately started providing grief support services to over 100 children and families. With a proven track record of implementing their mission of ‘no child grieves alone,’ The Trustees of The Chadbourne Foundation believe our sponsorship of the new permanent location is a good fit for our philanthropy and a sound investment in our community.”
Valerie’s House, The Chadbourne Foundation Home for Grieving Families, is the first free-standing location in the region with its sole mission to offer ongoing grief support for children and adults at no cost to families. Valerie’s House is not a formalized counseling center, but a community and a platform for grieving families to come together and help each other through the grieving process. Valerie’s House is based on a national model and helps children share, connect, and build bonds with other kids their age. The program uses a variety of art, music and journaling activities. The vision of Valerie’s House is that no child will grieve alone.
Valerie’s House Pensacola founder Crista Brandt, whose own mother died when she was 11 years old, said the new home will allow the organization to help many more grieving children in a warm and inviting environment.
“We are very grateful for The Chadbourne Foundation’s generosity and their belief in our mission,” Brandt said. “This new home will be a game changer in how our community is able to help families heal after a death in their family and it is a dream come true for our families.”
Valerie’s House expanded into the panhandle in late 2020 with Brandt’s leadership and in less than two years, has helped more than 100 children and their families find connection and healing in one of their various peer support groups.
“When I was 11, my mother lost her battle with cancer. I didn’t know anyone that had a parent die or understand what I was dealing with,” Brandt said. “I held in my pain and it made it much worse for my family. It’s our mission to make sure no child ever has to grieve alone in our community.”
Valerie’s House Pensacola has been utilizing the Big Brothers Big Sisters building off Creighton Road since opening in 2021 but has quickly outgrown the space.
Brandt says Valerie’s House is looking forward to the opportunities the new house will bring in helping grieving children and families in the community.
“We know grieving families need to be together and to have a place where they know they can be themselves and heal without judgement,” Brandt said. “That’s exactly what this home will be for our families. We are excited for the future.”
If you would like to get involved with Valerie’s House Pensacola’s new location, including volunteering, decorating and room sponsorships, reach out to Crista Brandt at crista@valerieshouse.org.
Valerie's House- Pensacola Hires Escambia County Program Manager
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FOR MORE INFO:
Crista Brandt, Pensacola Advisory Chair
Valerie’s House
Crista@valerieshouse.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VALERIE’S HOUSE HIRES ESCAMBIA COUNTY PROGRAM MANAGER
Pensacola, FLA., July 19, 2022 – Valerie’s House Pensacola, a grief support organization that provides peer support groups and other services to grieving children and their families, has hired Jennifer Elzweig as Escambia County Program Manager.
Elzweig has been an integral part of Valerie’s House Pensacola since its inception, serving as a children’s group support volunteer with the elementary age children and as a Pensacola Advisory Board member.
“Having Jenni on board with us fulltime will be a game changer for how we are able to impact young lives,” said Valerie’s House Pensacola Advisory Chair Crista Brandt. “Her personal experience with grief and her former role as an Escambia County teacher makes her a great fit to work with our families.”
Elzweig identifies with many grieving families, as her father died from a stroke when she was a young adult and she recalls not having any services to help her family. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of West Florida in 2018 and has been employed as a fine arts teacher for the Escambia County School District. She has mentored many students from very diverse backgrounds and is also a certified yoga teacher, guiding kids, young and old.
“I know how isolating grief can be, and that is why finding support and community at Valerie’s House is so important, especially for children,” Elzweig said.
Valerie’s House- Pensacola opened its doors in 2021 and has since grown to serve more than 100 children in less than two years. The chapter uses the Big Brothers Big Sisters building on Creighton Road in Pensacola for its grief support groups, which are at no cost to children and families.
The first chapter of Valerie’s House was founded in Fort Myers in 2016 by Angela Melvin, whose mother was killed in a car accident in 1987. The organization has expanded to include locations in Naples, Port Charlotte and now Pensacola.
Like Melvin, Pensacola chapter founder Crista Brandt also lost her mother as a young girl and is determined to make sure no child grieves alone in the community.
“My purpose is to make my tragedy a gift to someone else,” Brandt said. “We are so grateful to all of the supporters who have helped us grow in our community and reach children who need us.”
One in eight children in Florida is predicted to lose a parent or sibling before the age of 25, according to the 2021 Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model.
Valerie's House is a non-profit organization that is fully supported by community donations. Please go to www.valerieshouse.org/pensacola to make a donation or to find out more about enrolling a family who needs help.
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Valerie's House - Pensacola by Rick's Podcasts
/EPISODE DESCRIPTION
Crista Brandt, the founder of Valerie's House in Pensacola, discusses how her nonprofit helps children who have lost loved ones.
Valerie's House- Pensacola Celebrates One-Year Anniversary
/VALERIE’S HOUSE- PENSACOLA CELEBRATES ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY
Children’s Grief Center quickly expanding to help families in need
PENSACOLA, FLA., May 7, 2022 – Valerie’s House -Pensacola, a non-profit with its sole mission of helping children grieve the death of a family member, is celebrating its one-year anniversary providing services to the community this month. The special birthday celebration kicked off May 3 with a birthday party luncheon at the Pensacola Little Theatre with a packed room of supporters, Valerie’s House family members, elected officials, and community leaders.
“The support over the past year to bring Valerie’s House grief support services to our community has been nothing short of remarkable,” said Valerie’s House- Pensacola founder Crista Brandt. “As someone who lost my own mother when I was 11-years-old and had nothing like Valerie’s House to help me, I know our community needs Valerie’s House.”
Valerie’s House -Pensacola started with 20 children and 10 grieving parents a year ago and has grown to help more than 100 children and adults grieving in the community. The organization provides peer grief support groups in a safe, comfortable place on an ongoing basis, using a variety of art therapy, music, and other child-friendly techniques to help children cope with the traumatic death of a parent or sibling.
“We are getting about three to four new calls a week from families who need help,” Brandt said. “They finally have a place where they can go to talk about their grief and not have to stuff it inside any longer.”
Valerie’s House is currently seeking a permanent location for its groups and is working with supporters to find a cozy, homey location to call their own. Since opening in Pensacola, Valerie’s House has been utilizing space generously donated by Big Brothers Big Sisters off Creighton Road.
“We are looking for an actual house that we can turn into our grief support center,” Brandt said. “When we find that location there will be no limits to how many children we can help in our region.”
Valerie’s House is in the process of finalizing a formal partnership with the City of Pensacola. This partnership would allow the organization to utilize one of the larger community centers to hold grief groups. We are also exploring other partnerships which will be announced once finalized.
One in 11 children will lose a parent before the age of 18 in Florida, and currently, there are close to 10,000 children in Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties grieving.
Valerie’s House would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to each donor that contributed during their inaugural year, including Humana, Pen Air Federal Credit Union, International Paper Foundation, The Chadbourne Foundation, The Kugelman Foundation, The Bear Family Foundation, Cox Charities, Community Foundation of Northwest Florida, Neal & Company, LLC., Gulf Power Foundation, and the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office, and many generous donors. The success seen in their first year would not have been possible without the generous support of the members and businesses within the community.
Valerie's House is a 501 © 3 non-profit and is fully supported by community donations. More information can be found at www.valerieshouse.org/pensacola. To get involved, please contact Crista Brandt at crista@valerieshouse.org.
About Valerie’s House
Valerie’s House has a mission to provide a safe, comfortable place for children to share, grieve and heal together following the death of a close family member. The vision is that No Child Will Grieve Alone.
Valerie’s House was founded in Fort Myers, Florida in January 2016 by Angela Melvin, whose mother Valerie, died in a car accident in 1987. Since its inception, Valerie’s House has expanded into three additional locations, including Naples, Port Charlotte, and Pensacola.
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Check out these photos from the event!
