Valerie’s House Expands into Cape Coral
/Valerie's House Expands into Cape Coral
Program enrolling children to help cope with death of close family member
CAPE CORAL, Fla. (September 8, 2016) Valerie’s House for Grieving Families, a nonprofit organization devoted to helping children and families work through grief following the death of a loved one, is now enrolling children in its new Cape Coral satellite location. Support groups and activities will be held on the first and third Tuesdays of each month starting Tuesday, October 4, from 6:30 pm-8:30 p.m. on the campus of Cape Christian Church, located at 2110 Chiquita Blvd So., in Cape Coral, FL 33991. Online participant pre-registration is now open at www.valerieshouseswfl.org/our-programs/.
Valerie’s House is a safe, comfortable place for children ages 4-19 and their adult caregivers to share, grieve and heal together after a death of a parent or sibling. Sessions begin with some free playtime and a potluck dinner, followed by age-appropriate arts, crafts and music activities to help them learn to talk about their grief, heal and bond with other children going through similar kinds of losses. Teenagers meet and often spend time discussing their feelings, their struggles, their healing, and how they are moving through school and life with the loss.
“Children are losing parents and siblings in this community more than most people realize,” Melvin said. “The expansion was very much needed into Cape Coral, where many of our children live and go to school.”
Founded by Angela Melvin, Valerie’s House is named after her mother, Valerie Melvin, a 31-year old nurse and mother of two daughters who was killed in a car accident in 1987 as she drove to pick up her girls from summer camp. The first Valerie’s House opened in Fort Myers in January 2016 and is currently serving 77 children.
Valerie’s House will also be expanding into Naples by the end of 2016. Interested families or volunteers can contact Danielle Visone at 239-841-9186 or email danielle@valerieshouseswfl.org. For more information, visit www.valerieshouseswfl.org.
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