May 15, 2023

Valerie’s House Pensacola talks mission and helping children and families cope with grief

May 15, 2023/ Nina Mendes

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.

January 09, 2023

IP Awards $63,000 In Grants To 21 Local Nonprofits

January 09, 2023/ Nina Mendes

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.

December 30, 2022

Valerie's House finds new home to help more children and families through grief

December 30, 2022/ Nina Mendes

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.

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.

“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.”

December 15, 2022

Valerie’s House in Pensacola receives $500,000 donation to expand into new home

December 15, 2022/ Nina Mendes

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.

August 22, 2022

Valerie's House- Pensacola Hires Escambia County Program Manager

August 22, 2022/ Nina Mendes

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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June 02, 2022

Valerie's House - Pensacola by Rick's Podcasts

June 02, 2022/ Nina Mendes

EPISODE DESCRIPTION

Crista Brandt, the founder of Valerie's House in Pensacola, discusses how her nonprofit helps children who have lost loved ones.

May 10, 2022

Valerie's House- Pensacola Celebrates One-Year Anniversary

May 10, 2022/ Nina Mendes

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!

February 03, 2022

Cox Charities Awards $16,000 to Gulf Coast Non-Profits

February 03, 2022/ Nina Mendes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

February 3, 2022

Cox Charities Awards $16,000 to Gulf Coast Non-Profits

Pensacola, FL - Cox Communications employees in the Gulf Coast Market have awarded $16,000 to local non-profits through the Cox Charities Community Investment grant program. Over a dozen applications were received from local organizations seeking funding for various programs. After much deliberation, Cox employees who serve on the Cox Charities Selection Committee awarded the grants to the following four organizations:

One Hopeful Place received $5,000 to provide services at the Homeless Cold Night Program in Fort Walton Beach.
Ronald McDonald House of Northwest Florida received $2,500 to assist their Hope for Hurting Families program which provides housing for families while a child is receiving medical care at the Studer Family Children’s Hospital at Ascension Sacred Heart.
YMCA of Northwest Florida was granted $5,000 for YReads, an afterschool reading remediation and mentoring program for at-risk and low-income children in Kindergarten through fourth grade.
Valerie’s House was awarded $3,500 for No Child Grieves Alone, a free grief support program dedicated to helping children and their families share, grieve, and heal from their losses.

“Every year we receive so many deserving applications from nonprofits along the Gulf Coast,” said David Deliman, Cox Gulf Coast Market Vice President. “It’s within our Cox DNA to give back to the communities we serve. This is just another example of how our employees strive to elevate the transformative work of local nonprofit organizations making a difference in our community.”

Cox Charities is an internal giving campaign where employees can set aside a portion of their paychecks to fund the local grants. Money donated by employees in the Gulf Coast Market stays in the Gulf Coast Market. A committee of nine employees reviewed over a dozen applications and selected the recipients.

In addition to the Community Investment Grant, the Cox Charities Innovation in Education Program provides grants of up to $2,500 each to schools to fund classroom programs and curriculum that encourage and promote students’ ingenuity and imagination through the innovative use of technology. Last spring, Cox employees awarded nearly $10,000 to six local schools.

Cox Charities was created to strengthen Cox markets through the support of programs that positively impact communities in the areas of education, technology, social issues, conservation and the arts. Cox Charities does not replace, but rather increases Cox’s philanthropic giving in the community. In 2021, Cox gave nearly one million dollars in cash and in-kind services to nonprofits in the Gulf Coast Market.

The Cox Gulf Coast market includes parts of Escambia, Okaloosa and South Walton counties.

For more information about Cox Charities, visit www.CoxCharitiesSER.org.

About Cox Communications

Cox Communications is committed to creating meaningful moments of human connection through broadband applications and services. The largest private telecom company in America, we proudly serve nearly seven million homes and businesses across 18 states. We’re dedicated to empowering others to build a better future and celebrate diverse products, people, suppliers, communities and the characteristics that makes each one unique. Cox Communications is the largest division of Cox Enterprises, a family-owned business founded in 1898 by Governor James M. Cox.

December 30, 2021

Valerie's House: An Outlet for Grief

December 30, 2021/ Nina Mendes

November 23, 2021

Pensacola Fall 2021 Newsletter

November 23, 2021/ Nina Mendes

November 05, 2021

Photos: Valerie's House helps children grieve the loss of a loved one in Pensacola

November 05, 2021/ Nina Mendes

Pensacola News Journal

Alexia Seitz, 11, who lost her father Daniel Seitz, adds a word that she associates with death on a white board during the Valerie's House group night “What I Hate About Death” activity hosted at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Florida building in Pensacola on Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021.