Valerie’s House Awarded $10,000 Grant From The Collier Community Foundation

Naples, FL – November 22, 2023 – Valerie’s House is pleased to announce it has received a $10,000 grant from the Collier Community Foundation.

These funds will support the expansion of peer grief-support groups in Collier County Public Schools.

There are more than 7,000 grieving children in Collier County, and Valerie’s House Naples strives to reach as many of those children as possible. Since opening its Collier location in 2017, Valerie’s House has served more than 500 grieving families in Naples.

The funding from the Collier Community Foundation will allow Valerie’s House Naples to bring grief support to children directly through the Collier County education system. This gives children the opportunity to receive support if they cannot attend group night at one of the Valerie’s House locations.

Valerie’s House school groups are growing, and these funds will allow Valerie’s House to keep up with the demand.

“School groups allow us to meet the children where they are at and provide love and support as they grieve the loss of a loved one,” said Valerie’s House Founder & CEO Angela Melvin. “We are so grateful for the Collier Community Foundation for gifting Valerie’s House this grant, as it will allow us to positively impact more grieving children in our community.”

The Collier Community Foundation awards annual grants through a competitive application and review process. Selected organizations receive grant dollars from the Community Impact Fund. This Fund is made up of donors who believe in the Community Foundation’s ability to identify and grant the community’s most current needs.

About Valerie’s House:

Valerie’s House opened in January 2016 and has served more than 3,000 children and their families from Charlotte, Sarasota, Glades, Lee, Hendry and Collier counties as well as the Florida panhandle. The organization provides a safe, comfortable place for children to share, grieve and heal together following the death of a close family member. Valerie’s House has three locations in Southwest Florida: 233 East McKenzie St. in Punta Gorda, 1762 Fowler St. in downtown Fort Myers, and 819 Myrtle Terrace in Naples. Support services also are available at the Charlotte Family Services Center at 21500 Gibraltar Drive in Port Charlotte. For more information, visit www.valerieshouse.org

About the Collier Community Foundation:

Collier Community Foundation® is a tax-exempt, public, charitable organization established in 1985 to increase and focus on local private philanthropy. Today, the Collier Community Foundation manages over 850 funds, works with hundreds of nonprofits, and has granted over $328 million to nonprofit organizations, community programs, and scholarships. Informed giving. Powerful results®. Learn more at colliercf.org or call 239-649-5000.