The children of Valerie’s House Inc, a Southwest Florida nonprofit helping grieving families, have created a traveling Children’s Grief Quilt that will be displayed starting the month of November at several businesses and schools in the area as well as in Congressman Frances Rooney’s office in Washington, D.C.  Each square of the children’s quilt represents a memory they have about the person in their life who has died. The handmade quilt was made to bring attention to children grieving and spread awareness about the Valerie’s House grief support program.  Nationally, 1 in 5 children will lose a parent or sibling before the age of 20.
 
“We are overwhelmed with the number of businesses that have reached out and offered to display the children’s quilt,” said Angela Melvin, founder and CEO of Valerie’s House. “Our hope is a grieving family who needs us may discover the quilt on display and realize we are here for them and they can come to us for help.”
 
More than 20 businesses, schools and government agencies will display the quilt throughout the remainder of the year and into early 2018, including FineMark National Bank & Trust, IBERIABANK, Markham Norton Mosteller Wright & Company, Norman Love Confections, and the School District of Lee County.
 
The Children’s Grief Quilt will also travel out of state. Congressman Francis Rooney will take the quilt to display in his office and in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D. C. this month.  
 

About Valerie’s House

Valerie’s House serves 140 children from 5 counties: Charlotte, Collier, Glades, Hendry, and Lee. It is a special place for children and families in Southwest Florida to connect with one another and learn the tools to heal after they have experienced the death of someone they love. The organization’s vision is that no child will grieve alone.  Valerie’s House opened in January 2016 and has locations in both Lee and Collier counties.  For more information about Valerie’s House, contact info@valerieshouseswfl.org.  Valerie’s House is a United Way Partner Agency and is fully supported through generous donations from the community.

For more information, go to www.valerieshouseswfl.org.

All content courtesy of a Valerie's House Press Release.