Valerie's House Pensacola

09/20/2025

🎨 Grief Comes in Many Colors 💛

Over the past two weeks at Valerie’s House Pensacola, our children explored the many emotions that come with grief through a creative and meaningful activity called “Mixed Feelings,” inspired by My Many Colored Days by Dr. Seuss.

Using color, conversation, and Floam, each child identified the emotions they’ve felt since losing their loved one and assigned a unique color to each feeling. From sadness and anger to love, confusion, and even joy, we talked about how grief is never just one thing. It’s a mix of many emotions all at once.

By blending their chosen colors of Floam together, the children created a physical representation of their grief: messy, beautiful, and uniquely theirs. 💙

These activities help kids name their feelings, feel seen and heard, and take home a reminder that all of their emotions are valid. It was a powerful reminder that healing doesn't mean ignoring our feelings. It means giving them space to exist, mix, and be understood.

09/19/2025

💙 Thank You, HCA Florida West Hospital! 💙

We are incredibly grateful to HCA Florida West Hospital for generously sponsoring dinner for our Valerie’s House Pensacola families each month. Your support means so much to the children and caregivers who walk through our doors seeking comfort, connection, and healing.

A special shoutout to Courtney Campbell, a loyal and dedicated supporter, whose heart for our mission shines through in everything she does. 💛 Your kindness and commitment are truly making a difference in the lives of grieving families.

These meals do more than feed our families. They create space for them to gather, feel seen, and know they are not alone.

Thank you, HCA Florida West, for being part of this journey and helping us ensure that no child grieves alone.

09/18/2025

“I was reminded that this is how we went on living after my mother died — we wove her memory in the fabric of our every day lives. We remember the little things that made her who she was and we allow these things to be apart of the people we are today.”

At Valerie’s House, when a child or teen’s person dies, their death-anniversary can be a day filled with many emotions like sadness, love, longing, gratitude, maybe even hope. There’s no right or wrong way to spend that day; what matters is finding ways to remember, to heal, and to let the person they loved continue to live on in memory and action. Compiled by What's Your Grief, here are 30 gentle ways to honor that day that people of all ages can try, and many you could adapt for groups, families, or in your peer-support circles (Read more here: http://bit.ly/3VY8Xw0).

As that quote reminds us, part of grieving is weaving the person we loved into who we are today. Small acts, big moments... they all matter. Whatever feels right for you, or for a child in grief, is worthy. It’s okay for the day to be hard. It’s also okay if there are moments of joy, memories that make you smile, stories that bring laughter. Those are part of remembering, part of healing.

09/18/2025

Save the date! Family fun on October 18th in the garden 🌿

Mark your calendars for our 4th Annual EcoKids! We are needing volunteers to help be part of the event. If you’d like to volunteer, please register here: https://forms.gle/t9ztgaKyorACBooC8

09/17/2025

💙 Want to Make a Difference? Join Us at Valerie’s House Pensacola! 💙

We’re hosting a Volunteer Information Session on Wednesday, October 1 from 5:30–7:30 PM at our cozy home located at 904 E Gadsden Street and you’re invited!

Come learn more about Valerie’s House, our mission to support grieving children and families, and the many ways you can get involved. Whether you’re interested in working directly with families, helping behind the scenes, or supporting special events, there’s a place for you here. 💛

📅 Date: Wednesday, October 1
🕠 Time: 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

📍 Location: 904 E Gadsden St, Pensacola
👉 RSVP here: https://signup.com/go/ikKTKqd

Come be a part of something meaningful. Together, we can ensure no child grieves alone. 💫

09/16/2025

🏡 Looking Back...A Heartfelt Thank You to the Chadbourne-DeMaria Foundation 💙

At Valerie’s House Pensacola, we are deeply proud to carry the name of the Chadbourne-DeMaria Foundation, whose extraordinary generosity made our beautiful, historic home in East Hill possible.

Thanks to their $500,000 donation, we now have a space where grieving children and families can find comfort, healing, and community. What was once an empty house is now alive with connection, healing, and hope, filled with children, parents, and families coming together to share, support, and find strength in one another. 💛

Swipe through to see this transformation in action: From quiet rooms to spaces filled with life, laughter, and tears of healing, this house has become a place where stories are shared and the journey of grief is met with love and support.

We are forever grateful for the Foundation’s continued partnership and unwavering support. It is an honor to be linked with their name, as it represents the power of community, generosity, and compassion.

09/15/2025

Last Friday, we had the privilege of connecting with school counselors, social workers, mental health professionals, and community partners at our open house at Valerie’s House Pensacola!

We’re beyond grateful for the opportunity to meet so many dedicated individuals who share our mission of supporting grieving children and families.

Together, we’re building a network of care that ensures no child grieves alone.

09/15/2025

🌿 New Grief Support Group in Pensacola 🌿

Valerie’s House is honored to partner with Health and Hope Clinic, Inc to bring monthly peer-to-peer grief support groups to our community. 💙

🕊️ These gatherings provide a safe and compassionate space for individuals and families who are navigating the loss of a loved one.

📍 Health and Hope Clinic
1718 E Olive Rd, Pensacola, FL 32514

🗓️ First Monday of every month
⏰ 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM
✨ Starting October 6th

No one should grieve alone — we’re here for you. 💞

09/13/2025

✨ Last night at From The Ground Up Community Garden, we gathered for an evening of ecstatic dance under the stars. It was a night of love, fun, and joy as we reflected on grief, the qualities of our loved ones we carry forward, and the ways we keep their spirits alive in ourselves.

We danced with open hearts and were uplifted by the incredible energy of love_brynnevere, whose presence made the night even more magical.

As always, we are deeply grateful to Elizabeth, the devoted steward of the garden, for holding such a nurturing space, and to Fish Heads for the delicious meal we shared together.

Nights like this remind us that healing can be playful, soulful, and communal. 💜🌱💃

09/12/2025

💛 Grief is heavy, but it doesn’t have to be at every moment.

At Valerie’s House, we make space for both the hard and the light. While children process deep emotions, we also encourage movement, laughter, and play. This fun yoga brain break brought a lot of smiles.

Play helps kids feel safe, connected, and free to be themselves, even in the midst of loss. These joyful moments remind us that healing isn’t just about tears. It’s also about giggles, stretches, and being together.