Valerie’s House in Punta Gorda helps children and families navigate the grieving process after losing a loved one.
Middle school student Bryan Notorfrancesco spoke to FOX 4’s Victoria Scott on how Valerie’s House has positively changed his life since losing his mom.
“I like it here,” Bryan said. “I really like that it’s OK for you to give out your emotions.”
Bryan has called Valerie’s House home for a little over a year.
“They talk about how it’s OK to cry when you miss her, and it’s OK that she had passed,” he said.
CEO and Founder of Valerie’s House Angela Melvin started the nonprofit back in 2016.
“Most people will tell you that if they don’t have an opportunity to talk about what’s inside of them, it comes out in other ways,” Melvin told Scott. “The very first thing the kids do when they come into Valerie’s House and they check-in in their group, is they say who died in their family. That’s a big statement for a lot of kids.”
You can watch Victoria’s full report here:
Valerie’s House serves as safe haven for children dealing with grief