Angela Melvin's Mission: Creating Valerie's House for Grieving Families in Florida

The episode focuses on Angela Melvin sharing her personal story and how it led to the creation of Valerie's House, a grief support organization for children and families who have lost loved ones. At age 11, Angela lost her mother Valerie in a car accident in 1987 in Fort Myers, Florida. After realizing there were still no grief support services in the area when she returned in 2013, she was inspired to create Valerie's House, which opened its doors in 2016.

Valerie's House provides a home-like environment where children and families can connect with others who have experienced similar losses through group support sessions, activities, and shared meals. The organization has grown significantly over 9 years to include multiple locations across Florida and serves as a model for grief support programs.

The conversation covers topics including:

• The founding and growth of Valerie's House
• How the organization helps grieving families
• The importance of peer support vs clinical therapy
• Their work with local schools
• How people can get involved through volunteering or donations

The episode provides an in-depth look at this important community organization while highlighting Angela Melvin's leadership in addressing the needs of grieving children and families.

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