Valerie's House is committed to assisting the schools in their communities to help their grieving children. No child should have to grieve alone, and with our partnerships, they won't have to.

Arrange a School Group at Your School

Valerie’s House can host a peer grief support group at your school for students who have experienced a death in their life. While attending a school group, the students will focus on topics related to their grief, such as feelings, memories, coping skills, and more.

If your school has been touched by death, whether it be the loss of a student or faculty member, and you need extra support and knowledge on how to help your grieving students, Valerie's House is here to help.

Charlotte & Sarasota County Schools – Contact jedi.kmak@valerieshouse.org

Collier County Schools – Contact mary@valerieshouse.org

Lee County Schools – Contact molly@valerieshouse.org

Arrange a Presentation at Your School

We are happy to come to share our grief support to help your faculty and staff.

  • Grief Presentations: We offer a 30-45 minute presentation to provide education and support to the faculty and staff of elementary, middle & high schools.
    It is most helpful when the school provides a projector and screen for the presentation.

The New York Life Foundation’s Grief Sensitive Schools Initiative (GSSI) is a nationally recognized designation for schools across the United States. The GSSI requires a presentation to 5 or more school personnel for them to become more grief-sensitive and informed and gain more awareness. After the presentation, school personnel can apply for a $500 grant to enhance their ability to offer grief-related resources.

To learn more about The New York Life Foundation’s Grief Sensitive Schools Initiative, please check out the website: https://grievingstudents.org/gssi/

  • Refer a child to Valerie's House Evening Support Groups: Schools may refer a family to attend Valerie's House after a student has experienced the death of a parent or sibling. The children and teens will join a peer support group with similar aged children and teens, while their caregiver also attends a support group with other caregivers. Groups include peer-to-peer support, creative projects, books, music, and journaling.