Valerie’s House gets forever home

Valerie’s House in Fort Myers will celebrate the grand opening of its new home on Thursday, March 14. COURTESY PHOTOS

Valerie’s House will celebrate the grand opening of its new Family is Forever home Thursday, March 14, with a ribbon-cutting and tours of the new facility at 3551 Shoemaker Lane, now known as 3551 Valerie’s House Way, in Fort Myers.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 4:30 p.m.

Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson, Fort Myers City Council and Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce members along with members of other local chambers of commerce will be there. Tours will follow until 7 p.m.

An open house is set for the following day, Friday, March 15, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. for those unable to attend the Thursday celebration who would like to tour the home. The public is invited to join in the celebration.

A total of $3 million has been raised toward the cost of the new home, which is built on land donated by the City of Fort Myers under a $1 per year lease.

“We are incredibly grateful to all of the people and organizations who have made this possible,” said CEO Angela Melvin Churchill. “Having this space will open the door to building more partnerships, educating our community, and most importantly, giving us the needed space to help thousands more families and children who are grieving.”

The facility will allow for support services for families. Rooms are designed to help children of all ages.

The home is a cozy, warm, old Florida style structure, with special rooms like a volcano room, which allows children to work out any anger or other emotions they have because of their loss. The 7,000-square-foot facility will allow Valerie’s House to provide wrap-around services, such as individual grief counseling, parenting classes, and family retreats to support families who need it.

“From the moment you walk through the doors we want families to feel at home. Along with a beautiful outdoor space for the children to play and large dining area for family meals, there also are rooms dedicated to every age group. From little ones, to teens, to caregivers, each group has their own space designed for them to come together to support one another through healing activities and discussions,” she said.

The memory room serves as a place to honor loved ones.

Valerie’s House has helped more than 5,000 children and their families since its founding in 2016 by Angela Melvin Churchill, whose mother, Valerie, was killed in a car accident in Fort Myers in 1987.

One in seven children in Florida is predicted to lose a parent or sibling before the age of 25, according to the 2022 Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model.

Valerie’s House currently offers peer support groups and other activities at locations in Fort Myers, Naples, Punta Gorda, and Port Charlotte. Valerie’s House is a United Way partner agency and is fully supported by community donations.

For more information about Valerie’s House or to make a donation to the Forever Home, visit www.valerieshouse.org/ forever-home call 239-204-5804.

Valerie’s House opened its first location in Fort Myers, Florida in January 2016 and has served more than 5,000 children and their families from Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Hendry counties. The organization provides a safe, comfortable place for children to share, grieve and heal together following the death of a close family member.

Valerie’s House has three Southwest Florida locations: 3551 Valerie’s House Way in Fort Myers, 819 Myrtle Terrace in Naples and 233 East McKenzie Street in Punta Gorda. Valerie’s House also expanded into Northwest Florida in 2021 with a home in downtown Pensacola. For more information, visit www.valerieshouse.org . ¦

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