Aolani Scott is a new Valerie’s House- Fort Myers volunteer with a passion for helping grieving kids like she once was.

As a forensic studies student at FGCU, Aolani first heard about Valerie’s House from a professor in the psychology department.

She knew Valerie’s House was the right place to volunteer her time because of her love for children and her own personal experience with loss.

“I knew that this would be the place for me once I knew what Valerie’s House stood for,” Aolani said. “It also has become a place where I can work through my own grief in a healthy way and has been extremely beneficial for me.”

Aolani lost her mother when she was only thirteen years old. She said her death profoundly impacted her self-esteem and outlook for the future.

Volunteering at Valerie’s House has allowed her to reflect on her own grief.

“I never learned how to grieve properly, and I put a lot of blame on myself,” Aolani said. “I found myself wanting to help my family and be their rock while losing the rock within myself. Working with the kids has helped connect me with them because they are going through a similar thing that I was. They have helped me find more peace within myself.”

Aolani is a group facilitator in the “Dolphins” and “Manatees” groups, working with ages 8-13.

Her favorite part about volunteering is working on the group activity with the kids.

“Losing someone who was your everything takes a toll on you, and I like to let the kids know that they are not alone,” said Aolani. “I want them to understand that I still struggle sometimes and that it is okay to not be okay all the time.”

Aolani is currently working with Valerie’s House as an intern and volunteers her time several days a week to be with the children.

She said she has learned a lot from volunteering at Valerie’s House over the past three months and looks forward to continuing to volunteer after her internship ends.

“Being able to volunteer and help the kids is the greatest act of service, and it’s taught me how to be a better person to the people around me,” Aolani said. “It’s also taught me to be more patient. Sometimes, people just need to tell you how they are feeling without judgment, so you need to give them the space to do so.”