At Valerie’s House, we’re deeply appreciative of the support we receive from our community and media partners. We want to extend our heartfelt thanks to Gulfshore Business and WINK News, along with reporter Nancy Semon, for shining such a positive and powerful spotlight on our organization’s work in Charlotte County.
Read MoreAt Valerie’s House, we are immensely proud of Mike McMurray, our Governing Board Chair, who exemplifies commitment, compassion, and purpose in everything he does for our organization. Recently honored by The Community Foundation in their 2024 Board Leadership Awards, Mike has become a vital force behind our mission to provide healing and hope for grieving children and families across Southwest Florida. His recognition highlights his significant impact on both Valerie’s House and the broader community, and we couldn’t be more grateful for his dedication.
Read MoreAt Valerie’s House, we are deeply appreciative of Florida Weekly for spotlighting our organization and the community of supporters who make it possible to bring hope and healing to grieving children and families in Southwest Florida. This recent feature not only underscored our mission but also celebrated the incredible partnerships that sustain our nonprofit’s impact.
Read MoreOn the evening of Friday, October 18th, Valerie’s House held a special event to unveil its Heart Memorial at the Fort Myers Family is Forever Home. This unique memorial, inspired by the Love Lock Bridge in Paris, is a tribute for anyone in the grieving community to honor the memory of lost loved ones.
Read MoreValerie’s House in Punta Gorda, a safe space for grieving children and families, recently received critical repairs thanks to the generosity of local contractors and businesses following hurricanes Helene and Milton. While the main building sustained minimal damage, the teen and counseling building was flooded with 18 inches of water.
Read MoreAt Valerie’s House, we believe in the power of community, and there are moments when this belief is reaffirmed in truly remarkable ways. One of those moments came when our Charlotte County home, a safe space for grieving children, withstood Hurricane Milton with only minor flooding, thanks to the support of dedicated contractors and community leaders. The Sun newspaper and Jess Orlando played a pivotal role in sharing our story with the world, and we want to take a moment to express our deep gratitude.
Read MoreWe're excited to announce that Valerie's House will be featured at the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce luncheon on Tuesday, October 8th! This event, held at The Plantation Golf & Country Club, will spotlight our mission to support grieving children and families in Southwest Florida.
Read MoreWe are incredibly grateful to FOX 4 and reporter Victoria Scott for their amazing coverage of Valerie’s House Charlotte County. Their recent story beautifully highlighted the impact our home in Punta Gorda has on children and families grieving the loss of a loved one.
Read MoreWe are deeply thankful to the Daily Sun for highlighting the work we do at Valerie’s House to support grieving families in Southwest Florida. Since 2016, we’ve provided a safe space for children and caregivers to heal after the loss of a loved one.
Read MoreWe are thrilled to share that one of our remarkable Valerie's House teens, Madison McKinnon, has been featured in the Cape Coral Breeze as she embarks on an exciting new chapter in her life!
Read More
CLOSING CIRCLE AT PENSACOLA BEACH
VALERIE’S HOUSE PENSACOLA FAMILY
PENSACOLA BEACH, Fla. -- One in 11 kids in Santa Rosa and Escambia counties have lost a parent or a sibling.
Valerie's House in Pensacola says that's about 9 ,000 kids between the two counties. They offer grief counseling to kids and family members who've lost a loved one.
Since they opened three years ago, Valerie's House has helped 330 families and their numbers are growing.
They held a remembrance event on Pensacola Beach Thursday night. Families came together to honor and remember those they've lost.
Each of them had horrible stories of loss, but say Valerie's House has helped them overcome that grief.
"We help the kids identify some of the feelings that come up with grief," said Jennifer Elzweig, program manager at Valerie's House. "It can’t be messy whether you’re five or 50 and once they are able to start talking about some of those feelings we try to teach them some coping skills that they can use that can last them through their entire life. We do that by showing them that they’re not alone and introducing them to children who have similar experiences.”
Young Caysen lost both of his parents. Bennet and Asher lost their father in February.
10-year-old Frankie suddenly lost her mother when she was 7.
Her family says the loss has been hard. Her grandmother Tess now raising Frankie and her younger brother.
"Frankie came home from school ,her mom wasn't at the bus stop and they went in and unfortunately found her deceased," Tess Pease said. "Julian was there with her and it was really tough for all of us."
"It's really hard to talk about it, but it got better," Frankie Pease said. "I'm glad I came."
Linda Joiner lost her daughter Kayla Atwood to domestic violence. She was murdered back in January.
Joiner says the loss has been devastating.
"I couldn't breathe," she said. "I couldn't believe the way things happened."
Each of these families going through grief -- and each of them chose Valerie's House to help them.
The families say they feel a sense of community knowing they're not alone in their grief.
"I hope that they just feel a sense of community," Elzweig said. "I know that we’ve created space for them to grieve together because it’s a very human experience."
"To know I'm not by myself, I'm not the only one," Joiner said. "There's somebody else just like me that felt the pain and the loss that I feel."
Valerie's House offers free services.
Read the full article here: https://weartv.com/news/local/remembrance-event-on-pensacola-beach-helps-grieving-families-of-lost-loved-ones
FORT MYERS, Fla. – August 15, 2024 – Valerie’s House, a nonprofit organization in Southwest Florida helping children grieve the loss of a loved one, has awarded $60,000 in college scholarships for graduating high school seniors who have come through and found support in the Valerie’s House grief support program.
It’s the third year that Valerie’s House has offered the scholarships which this year are $1,500 per student. The scholarships are renewable for up to three additional years for a total of $6,000 per student, depending upon individual achievement. The scholarships are made possible due, in part, to a grant from Shadow Wood Charitable Foundation.
Ten local students were chosen based on an essay they each wrote about their personal grief story and how their loss shaped them as the person they are and the person they want to become.
The scholarship recipients are:
● Gabriel Dang of Naples, who graduated from Golden Gate High School and plans to attend Prestige Worldwide Sports Academy;
● Abigail Dotzler of North Port, who graduated from Liberty University Online Academy and plans to attend the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater;
● Talia Hall of Lehigh Acres, who graduated from Lehigh Senior High School and plans to attend Valencia College;
● Jessica McKee of Fort Myers, who graduated from Fort Myers High School and plans to attend Santa Fe College;
● Madison McKinnon of Cape Coral, who graduated from North Fort Myers High School and is attending Penn State University;
● Melanie Para of Lehigh Acres, who graduated from Lehigh Senior High School and plans to attend Florida Gulf Coast University;
● Anthony Pham of Fort Myers, who graduated from Fort Myers High School and plans to attend Florida State University;
. ● Sean Sorrick of Naples, who graduated from Marco Academy and plans to attend University of North Florida;
. ● Siena Sulmasy of Naples, who graduated from The Village School and plans to attend Florida Southern College; and
. ● Hayden Toms of Fort Myers, who graduated from Cypress LakeHigh School and plans to attend Florida Gulf Coast University.
“We believe it is important to empower our youth to strive for big things and to know that loss doesn’t have to limit their dreams,” said Valerie’s House Founder and CEO Angela Melvin Churchill. “We are very grateful to our donors who have made this scholarship program possible.”
The scholarship funds may be used for classes, materials, or anything they need during the school year.
“The students, whose families are all a part of the Valerie’s House grief support program, are asked to check in with Valerie’s House each college semester and tell us something that they worked through that was challenging during the semester, and something great that they believe they might have accomplished, “ Melvin Churchill said.
To donate and help the Valerie’s House Scholarship Fund, visit www.valerieshouse.org/donate
Valerie’s House opened its first location in Fort Myers in January 2016 and has served more than 5,000 children and their families from Lee, Collier, Charlotte, and Hendry counties. 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 Southwest Florida locations: 3551 Valerie’s House Way in Fort Myers, 819 Myrtle Terrace in Naples and 233 East McKenzie Street in Punta Gorda. Valerie’s House also expanded into Northwest Florida in 2021 with a home in downtown Pensacola. Valerie's House is a United Way partner agency and is fully supported by community donations. More information can be found at www.valerieshouse.org.
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Editor’s nore: AI was NOT used in the creation of any portion of this news release.
Photos:
1) Gabriel Dang (Naples)
2) Abigail Dotzler (North Port)
3) Talia Hall (Lehigh Acres)
4) Jessica McKee (Fort Myers)
5) Madison McKinnon (Cape Coral)
6) Melanie Para (Lehigh Acres)
7) Anthony Pham (Fort Myers)
8) CEO Angela Melvin Churchill and Sean Sorrick (Naples)
9) VP of Clinical Support Amy Strom and Siena Sulmasy (Naples)
10) Hayden Toms (Fort Myers
Watch the video below to learn more about Valerie’s House Naples!
Reyna Zwanenburg and Ashley McNamara have a special place in their hearts for Valerie’s House in Naples.
“In 2018, my mom passed away,” said Zwanenburg. “I was 11 years old. She passed away from glioblastoma, multi-form, which is a very rare type of brain cancer.”
“My mom also died when I was 10 from the same type of cancer, glioblastoma,” McNamara said, “and that’s kind of one of the reasons that I felt that I would be a great mentor for Reyna. We were around the same age around the same time the year that our moms passed.”
She came in shy and guarded, but with the help of her friends at Valerie’s house, Zwanenburg has learned to share her grief with McNamara.
“Definitely, you know, growing older, also maturing kind of makes you realize that it happened in the past and you just get over it,” Zwanenburg said. “It’s a hard thing to get over, obviously, but, you know, finding someone that had something extremely in common with.”
Valerie’s House is a lifeline for many kids in the community, often teaching them how to deal with intense emotions surrounding their grief.
“It’s not like having a parent either. It’s like less than a parent but also a guardian, so it’s like you don’t have that awkwardness,” Zwanenburg said.
Families at Valerie’s House constantly feel the absence of their loved ones but say mentors like McNamara help fill the void.
“Someone that they can almost trust and feel that they can just say what’s on their mind,” McNamara explained, “and also have fun to going out, right? Going on shopping trips, you know, so someone that can be there, and someone they can actually overlay on, depend on.”
Valerie’s House encourages anyone that is looking to be a mentor not to hesitate.
They say you can always make time to be with someone and believe it’s an opportunity to learn and help the other person grow.
Link to article: https://winknews.com/2024/07/18/valeries-house-naples/
FOR MORE INFO:
Valerie’s House
239-204-5804
Susan Bennett Marketing & Media
239-277-5255
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAVE THE DATE FOR VALERIE’S HOUSE
INAUGURAL SUNSET SOIREE
FORT MYERS, FLA., June 18, 2024 – Valerie’s House will celebrate its inaugural Sunset Soiree Thursday, November 21, at the new Family is Forever home at 3551 Valerie’s House Way in Fort Myers.
The evening will include cocktails, dinner, surprises and stories of inspiration from children and families that have been impacted by the deaths of loved ones.
“It will be our first time to host a festive event for our donors and supporters at our new home,” said Valerie’s House CEO and Founder Angela Melvin Churchill. “We are so looking forward to sharing our progress and hearing from the families who have been helped at Valerie’s House.”
Jeff and Jacque Miloff are the event chairs with Dave and Cheryl Copham serving as honorary chairs.
Sponsorships of the Sunset Soiree are available from $2,500 to $25,000 that include tickets, mentions on social media, publication printing as well as branding at the event.. Individual tickets are $250. More information is available at www.valerieshouse.org/events.
A total of $3 million was raised toward the cost of the new home, which is built on land donated by the City of Fort Myers under a $1 per year lease.
Valerie’s House has helped more than 5,000 children and their families since its founding in 2016 by Angela Melvin Churchill, whose mother, Valerie, was killed in a car accident in Fort Myers in 1987.
One in seven children in Florida is predicted to lose a parent or sibling before the age of 25, according to the 2022 Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model.
Valerie’s House currently offers peer support groups and other activities at locations in Fort Myers, Naples, Punta Gorda, and Port Charlotte. Valerie's House is a United Way partner agency and is fully supported by community donations.
About Valerie’s House
Valerie’s House opened its first location in Fort Myers, Florida in January 2016 and has served more than 5,000 children and their families from Lee, Collier, Charlotte, and Hendry counties. 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 Southwest Florida locations: 3551 Valerie’s House Way in Fort Myers, 819 Myrtle Terrace in Naples and 233 East McKenzie Street in Punta Gorda. Valerie’s House also expanded into Northwest Florida in 2021 with a home in downtown Pensacola. For more information, visit www.valerieshouse.org
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Thank you to Monica Villa, Realtor, for showcasing the beauty of our Lee County Family Is Forever Home in her American Dream TV segment! 🏡
In the video below, Monica tours the facility with JJ, a former teen in the Valerie's House program. She also sits down with Founder & CEO Angela Melvin to discuss the mission of our organization. Thank you, Monica, for highlighting the work we do to support grieving families in our community.
WGCU | By Sandra Viktorova
Published May 20, 2024 at 2:18 PM EDT
Dealing with the death of a loved one is life changing for anyone, but it’s especially tough when children are the ones left behind.
Angela Melvin knows that grief firsthand. She was just 10 when her mom, Valerie, was killed in a crash in Fort Myers.
“It's just so painful,” said Melvin.
Making it tougher was not having a way to share that grief.
“We didn't know how to talk about my mom. And we didn't know if it was okay. And a lot of people in our lives didn't really have the words to help us,” said Melvin.
This lack of support was the inspiration for Valerie’s House, a non-profit which provides grief support programs to about 1,000 Southwest Florida children who have lost a parent or sibling. The organization just expanded its services to a growing population by building their first house in Fort Myers. Their days of renting a space are over thanks to the help of donations.
“It's hard to put into words what we're feeling except for just absolute gratitude,” said Melvin, founder and CEO of Valerie’s House. ”We needed a house so desperately for our children and families to come to a place to call their own home away from home. A safe place that could never, ever be taken away from them. “
The new home is much bigger than anything they’ve had before.
A large playground in the backyard is adjacent to a wildlife preserve. On the front porch, big stuffed bears on rocking chairs welcome visitors and long farm tables in the kitchen are full of food and snacks. The home is specially designed to support bereaved children.
“They get to run up there when the night begins and they get to join with their friends. And each room has its own theme. Some of the themes are focused around memories. We have a wall that's just all pictures of our lost loved ones that we can talk about and bring the pictures down and share about them,” said Melvin. “We have a room in the house, called the volcano room, where they can just kick and punch a heavy, heavy punching bag if they want for the night.”
The mission of Valerie’s House idea is to support children working through their grief with help of those who understand what they’re feeling.
When asked what could have made it easier for her, Melvin said the support of another child.
“If someone asked me about her, if I was able to find another little girl in sixth grade that's mom had died. And we could know each other and depend on each other," she said. "If my dad knew how to talk to us. If he had other men that were going through this to lean on. And that's what we do at Valerie's house, we lean on each other. So we're not doing this alone.”
An estimated one in 11 kids in Florida loses a parent or sibling before the age of 18. She hopes more will take advantage of the peer support offered at Valerie's House so they’ll have a safe way to process their grief.
From mental health professionals with expertise in grief to extra outlets for art and play time, the home provides an opportunity where kids can openly express their confusion, worry, pain and loneliness.
“The last thing we want is for children and families to stuff their emotions inside and then it comes out in other ways down the line, as we know that so many of our incarcerated children are bereaved and grieving," she said. "We know that many grieving children and families without the right help and support will turn to other coping skills that aren't so great. Drugs and alcohol and, and maybe even crime, just a way to try to deal with the life now that has been presented to them. And it's not fair. It's not right, these kids should be growing up with the people that love them.”
Melvin says about two to three kids in an average classroom are dealing with this type of loss. That’s why Valerie’s House is also trying to educate pediatricians and teachers to recognize that grief can look a lot like ADHD and make it tough to learn at school.
Melvin said they’re trying to improve the way we cope with grief as a community.
“There are adults that come to me in their 60s and 70s and will share that they lost a parent when they were young, and no one asked them how they felt or even bothered to look their way as a child. You know, oftentimes children don't have a voice,” said Melvin.
Valerie’s house now has homes in Charlotte County and the Florida Panhandle, as well. The organization hopes to transition from a rental property to their own home in Collier County soon.
Valerie’s House is offering support services to local companies to help employees cope with the loss of an employee, too. They’re also part of a coalition to create federal policy to improve national bereavement leave.
WGCU is your trusted source for news and information in Southwest Florida. We are a nonprofit public service, and your support is more critical than ever. Keep public media strong and donate now. Thank you.
Link to the article: https://news.wgcu.org/mental-health/2024-05-20/new-home-is-a-respite-for-children-after-the-loss-of-parent-or-sibling
Thank you to Monica Villa, Realtor, for showcasing the beauty of our Lee County Family Is Forever Home in her American Dream TV segment! 🏡
In the video below, Monica tours the facility with JJ, a former teen in the Valerie's House program. She also sits down with Founder & CEO Angela Melvin to discuss the mission of our organization. Thank you, Monica, for highlighting the work we do to support grieving families in our community.
FORT MYERS, FLA., MAY 21, 2024 – Valerie’s House hosted members of the Southwest Florida Gator Club Saturday, May 18, for “Baking with Gators” day in the new kitchen of the Family Is Forever Home in Fort Myers.
It was a sea of orange and blue as alumni of the University of Florida baked Gator-inspired cookies with the children and teens of Valerie’s House, a non-profit organization that helps children grieve the loss of loved ones.
“Everybody had a great time baking cookies in the shape of Gators, then decorating them with frosting and sprinkles. We are very grateful to the Southwest Florida Gator Club for selecting Valerie’s House for their annual Gator day of service,” said Valerie’s House Founder and CEO Angela Melvin Churchill, who also is a University of Florida graduate.
International Gator Day is the annual community service day when Gator Clubs throughout the United States unite to utilize the size and spirit of the Gator Nation to impact their communities.
“It was a wonderful opportunity for Gator alumni to give back to the community while sharing information about the college. Some of the teens are considering going to UF when they graduate high school,” said Noelle Casagrande, president of the Southwest Florida Gator Club.
Also present was Ali Baker of the UF Alumni Association in Gainesville. The UF Alumni Association provided t-shirts, caps, drink koozies and other Gator swag to share with the youngsters.
Valerie’s House has helped more than 5,000 children and their families since its founding in 2016 by Angela Melvin Churchill, whose mother, Valerie, was killed in a car accident in Fort Myers in 1987.
Valerie’s House offers peer support groups and other activities at locations in Fort Myers, Naples, Punta Gorda, Port Charlotte, and Pensacola. Valerie’s House is a United Way partner agency and is fully supported by community donations.
For more information about Valerie’s House or to make a donation to the Family Is Forever Home, visit www.valerieshouse.org/forever-home call 239-204-5804.
About Valerie’s House
Valerie’s House opened its first location in Fort Myers, Florida in January 2016 and has served more than 5,000 children and their families from Lee, Collier, Charlotte, and Hendry counties. 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 Southwest Florida locations: 3551 Valerie’s House Way in Fort Myers, 819 Myrtle Terrace in Naples and 233 East McKenzie Street in Punta Gorda. Valerie’s House also expanded into Northwest Florida in 2021 with a home in downtown Pensacola. For more information, visit www.valerieshouse.org
VALERIE’S HOUSE, INC.
Fort Myers • Naples • Charlotte County • Pensacola
Phone 239-204-5804
Valerie’s House is a 501(c)3 charitable organization, registration # CH46827. A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE WITHIN THE STATE. REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE. For more information, contact the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs at 1-800-HELP-FLA (435-7352) or visit www.freshfromflorida.com.
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