“I wanted to give up many times but decided I had to keep going. Valerie’s House gave me something to look forward to and gave me back some of the family I had lost.”
—Kitty Hughes, scholarship recipient

Their story highlighted the incredible bravery of three of our young adults—Carter Koehler and sisters Emely and Kaeley Calderon—who courageously opened up about the losses they’ve faced and how they’ve found hope again through Valerie’s House.

We’re grateful to our local media partners for helping share our mission—and this week, we’re especially thankful to WINK News for shining a light on a meaningful moment at our Fort Myers Family is Forever Home.

At Valerie’s House, we know how powerful it can be when a community comes together to care for its children—and we’re incredibly grateful to our local media partners who help tell that story.

Ashley’s story is now reaching even more people thanks to Gulf Coast News and reporter Britt Leoni. In a deeply moving TV interview for their Stories to Share segment, Ashley returned to Valerie’s House to speak about her grief, her growth, and how she’s found purpose in helping others feel less alone.

Our Founder and CEO, Angela Melvin, sat down with WINK News reporter Bianca Smith to talk about why grief support for children and families is so important—especially in traumatic situations like this.

Valerie’s House is proud to be featured in another impactful WINK News story—this time highlighting a new initiative from the Lee County School District to support the mental health of students and families.

Our very own Susan Rizzato, a licensed clinical social worker and grief counselor at Valerie’s House, was recently featured in a WINK News story about the emotional toll that school shootings are having on students and their families.

Valerie’s House is honored to be featured in a recent WINK News story that highlights the powerful journey of one of our high school seniors, Molly Flynn. The segment aired on April 30 and offered an intimate look into Molly’s experience with grief and how Valerie’s House has helped her find strength and direction in the wake of her father’s death.

We’re incredibly grateful to be featured in Florida Weekly in a heartfelt article written by Joe Landon, highlighting the impact of Valerie’s House in Naples. The story, titled “No Child Grieves Alone,” shines a beautiful light on the work we’re doing to support grieving children and families in Collier County.

We’re proud to announce that Kristalyn Loson Atwood, the newly appointed Board Chair of Valerie’s House, has been named one of è Bella Magazine’s Women to Watch in the April 2025 edition.

We are incredibly grateful to Gulf Coast News for highlighting this special moment and to Hooters of South Florida—one of our amazing community partners—for their ongoing generosity and support of grieving children and families in Southwest Florida.