Valerie's Place is remarkable. Founded by a woman whose mother died when she was young, Valerie's Place is a nonprofit that offers a facility for children who have lost parents or siblings to grieve their losses. The first venue is in Fort Myers, another is in Punta Gorda.
The one I visited opened in September in adjoining rented houses in Naples.
Local designers and artists volunteered their time to paint the walls with welcoming murals.
This is a room for the youngest children.
The idea is to group children by ages, so they can share their feelings and experiences with peers who are going through the same grieving processes. Each room has age-appropriate rules posted.
The Gathering Room is a place for older children, often teens, to talk about their feelings.
Valerie's Place is a very special organization.
This is a wonderful nonprofit! I love how colorful it is and the rooms are safe places for the kids- so many kids nowadays don't know how to truly express their big feelings so they overreact or bottle up those emotions.
ReplyDeleteWhat an excellent place. I remember when my best friend was killed in an accident when I was in 7th grade. I was bottled up for ages...nobody really knew how to draw me out. It took therapy many years later to finally cry for her.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad to think of these poor kids going through such things.
ReplyDeleteI had not heard of this place. What a wonderful thing to offer.
ReplyDeleteThis is a wonderful concept.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great idea!
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