Valerie's House, which opened in January 2016, is a heartfelt initiative rooted in a tragic story. In 1987, Valerie Melvin's life was cut short in a car accident when she was just 31 years old, leaving behind a loving husband and two young children, including 10-year-old Angela.

After high school, Angela moved away to college and eventually became a journalist, traveling the country. She returned to Fort Myers in 2013 with a strong desire to support grieving children. Soon, it became clear the region lacked resources for children to connect and heal after losing a loved one, a need she deeply understood from her childhood grief.

With this new awareness, Angela embarked on a journey to create a healing space dedicated to helping children grieve. Angela's vision became a reality with the help of other compassionate individuals, business owners, volunteers, and generous funders.

Valerie's House offers various services, including open-ended peer support groups and healing activities for children who have experienced significant loss. “It's important to highlight that Valerie's House isn't a formal counseling center,” says Valerie’s House Program Manager, Jenni Elzweig. “It's a warm and inclusive community where individuals come together to share, support and mentor one another through their grief.” 

Operating independently, Valerie's House draws inspiration from the nationally recognized Dougy Center for Grieving Children in Portland, Oregon, founded over 30 years ago. Their mission is exceptional, aiming to provide high-quality support to children ages 4 to 18 who have lost someone they love. Central to their approach is a commitment to meeting children where they are in their grief journey, using a peer-to-peer support model. “This model allows children to connect with peers who have experienced similar loss, reducing the isolating effects of grief,” explains Elzweig. “Through this approach, children can identify and manage their normal feelings of grief in a safe and supportive environment.”

According to Elzweig, 15 percent of the children in the panhandle are predicted to lose a parent or sibling before the age of 25. One in 11 children in Escambia and one in fourteen in Santa Rosa County will experience the death of a parent or sibling by the age of 18. “Valerie’s House hosts grief support groups and other activities for children and families during the week at no cost to families,” she affirms. Families come from Escambia, Santa Rosa Counties, and Okaloosa County. Known as a safe space providing emotional healing and understanding, Valerie's House has played a crucial role in helping the Pensacola community's children and families navigate the challenging journey of grief.

Valerie's House expanded its services to Pensacola in late 2020, launching the first peer-to-peer support group in April 2021 at borrowed space from Big Brothers Big Sisters. Valerie's House is the only non-profit 501(c)(3) organization in the community whose sole mission is dedicated to helping children and families work through the loss of a loved one together.

Crista O'Keefe Brandt spearheaded the expansion into Pensacola. Like organization founder, Angela Melvin, Brandt lost her mother to cancer when she was only 11 years old. Her grief remained repressed for many years and the alienation made it difficult to learn and grieve in a manner that was healthy. "My purpose is to turn my tragedy into someone else's gift. I’m here to help the ‘me's' of today so they know they aren’t alone in their grief,” shares Brandt, whose passion is to help children who are in the same place she was—alone, lost, sad and angry.  Armed with her own experiences and a heart full of empathy, Brandt set out to make a difference in the lives of others, one family at a time.

Elzweig attests that being with peers in this kind of environment decreases feelings of isolation and encourage the development of coping skills, social skills, and positive life attitudes. “Our house is a grounding place for our families. Inside and out, we provide our families with respite and peace,” she says.

Valerie's House recognizes that grieving is not a journey meant to be taken alone. They extend their support to entire families, offering support and educational opportunities for caregivers. This holistic approach ensures that both children and their families receive the tools and guidance needed to navigate their grief journey together, providing a source of hope and healing during challenging times.