“A Continuation of Helping Your Community”: Alton Green Reflects on His Years with Valerie’s House

When Alton Green picked up a copy of Gulfshore Life magazine in early 2016, he didn’t expect it to change his life. Inside was a feature on Angela Melvin and a new nonprofit called Valerie’s House.

“I thought I knew her. We went to college together at University of Florida back in 1995,” Alton recalls. “And I thought, you know, what a good way to reach out.”

The story of Angela’s mother—and the mission behind Valerie’s House—hit home. Alton had lost both of his parents in the summer of 1987, the same summer Angela lost her mother. He reached out and soon began volunteering.

“I started volunteering and stayed for five years,” he says. “And then COVID came along and changed—my career changed—and that changed some dynamics of it. So I haven't been back as much and often as I'd like. But glad to be back tonight to visit with the families and provide a meal and do my part.”

For Alton, what began as a reconnection became something deeper.

“The grief journey is just a long road to be traveled. If we can help these kids, assist in their grief journey, it just is fulfilling. And I feel like it's helping our community. It's a very needed program.”

Alton vividly remembers the impact of his own loss.

“I was 14 years old, my first day of summer out of eighth grade. And your whole world gets turned upside down.”

At the time, he had support from family and close friends in his small hometown. But today, he recognizes that many grieving families don’t have that same foundation.

“Communities are bigger. A lot of folks come from out of state that are living in different places. They don't have family and close friends they grew up with. So I feel like if they have a home here at Valerie’s House to come to, they can count on it 24/7, basically.”

Even when he’s not on-site, Alton continues to spread the word wherever he goes.

“I've been on trips to Michigan and back on airplanes. I've sat beside a lady that was flying home to Naples with her daughter’s ashes to bury her daughter, and she didn’t know about Valerie’s House.”

He says when the timing feels right, he always shares the mission.

“There’s tragic accidents just recently within our community… that’s hit home 'cause I know the mother that has just recently passed and two small children. So I’ll be going to that visitation tomorrow night and, when the time’s right, I’ll present Valerie’s House to 'em and hope that we can help them as well.”

So what keeps Alton connected to Valerie’s House?

“It's healing. For anyone that's grieving, it’s healing for us as well.”

And for anyone considering volunteering, Alton offers this message:

“I think the best thing about it is that everyone here genuinely loves the children and loves what they do. They have a passion for helping others with their grief… It’s not something that, unless you've gone through it, that you really understand.”

Looking back on the families and young adults he mentored during his five years at Valerie’s House, Alton has found real meaning in seeing those he once supported giving back.

“There’s young adults that I mentored up through the program the five years I was here, and now I see them doing the same thing. That's very meaningful. I think it's just a continuation of helping your community.”