ERIN’S HOUSE HOUSE FOR FOR GRIEVING GRIEVING CHILDREN CHILDREN Campaign ERIN’S 2012 Capital Campaign
Help us Build Our New Home
Erin’s House provides support for children, teens and their families who have suffered the death of a loved one.
You Can Help Us
build our new home Dear Friends What does wonderful mean?
definition of won·der·ful 1: exciting wonder: marvelous, astonishing <a sight wonderful to behold> 2: unusually good: admirable <did a wonderful job> Another question might be what does wonderful look and feel like?
Erin, Tony and Megan Farragh
• It is support when you do not know what you need. • It is finding hope when you feel you are lost. • It is discovering this journey you must take through grief will not have to be walked alone. • It is Erin’s House for Grieving Children helping over 15,000 children and families for the last 19 years. Wonderful is the name we give to all Erin’s House supporters. We are continually amazed by the incredible people who generously give of themselves with volunteer and financial support so that grieving children can heal in a safe and supportive environment. Our two children, Tony and Megan, experienced the death of their 5 year old sister Erin 21 years ago. Adults may assume children are doing fine and are resilient, but many children experience unresolved grief which can lead to more serious issues. Erin’s House has grown to become an important and nurturing resource for parents, grandparents, teachers and many others who feel lost when the children they love are hurting due to a death. This wonderful healing happens daily at Erin’s House.
All of our services are provided free of charge through the generosity of our donors.
Erin’s House needs your help today. Our hope is each and every individual reading this letter will be wonderful by supporting Erin’s House for Grieving Children as they Build a Home for Healing Hearts through their capital campaign. Please help us heal hearts for years and years to come. Thank you. Dave and Gail Farragh Erin’s Dad and Mom
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Regional Community LANSING
• W hen was Erin’s House founded? Erin Farragh, a 5 year old little girl died unexpectedly in 1989. Her parents were able to find support for themselves through their church but quickly realized there wasn’t a place for their surviving children to grieve the death of their sister. A friend of Erin’s family learned of another children’s grieving center in Ohio and the Junior League of Fort Wayne conducted a study to determine the feasibility of establishing a similar setting in our area. The study showed a children’s grieving center was a necessity and not a luxury. In late 1993, Erin’s House opened.
ANN ARBOR
GOSHEN
CLEVELAND
FORT WAYNE
• W hy is a children’s grieving center so important for our region? Studies show that unresolved grief can lead to an array of consequences including: alcoholism; suicide; drug abuse; truancy; poor school performance; and the inability to form a significant relationship later in life. We now serve grieving families in Northeast Indiana, Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan.
• How much does it cost to attend a program at Erin’s House? All services are
INDIANAPOLIS
DAYTON
Map indicates locations of other area grief centers.
provided to families at no cost.
• How much money are you trying to raise? Our goal is $2.75 million. This will cover the cost of purchasing land and constructing a 14,500 square foot facility. We plan on incorporating a relaxing memory garden on the grounds.
• Why do you need to build a new structure? Our current space of 7,323 square feet is no longer sufficient to meet our needs. We also believe our current location provides limited visibility for the families we serve. We researched numerous existing structures and determined the cost of retrofitting did not provide enough benefit over the cost of building our own facility.
• W here will the new building be Reed Road
St. Joe Road
Maplecrest Road
located and why? We are purchasing land on St. Joe Center Road. Our facility will be adjacent to the new YMCA project. Based on the demographics of the families we serve, it was determined that Northeast Allen County would be an ideal site. In addition, this location provides easy access from Interstate 469 and the newly expanded Maplecrest Road. St. Joe Center Road
Number Served 1500
1200
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0
2008 2009 2010 2011 *2012 *2013
Number of Individuals served at Erin’s House each year, including future growth* * includes program expansion 10% each year
Key Program Rooms
a
Specialty Rooms
QUIET ROOM
Gathering Room Atrium dministrative Offices A & Training Room Service & Mechanical Areas
TRAINING ROOM
b Gathering Room: We rely heavily on routines and rituals to help hearts heal. Where supper around a table at home might be difficult with an empty chair, rarely is there a vacant seat at Erin’s House
ENTRY WELCOME ROOM
ATRIUM
b
ADMINISTRATIVE AREA
c CRAFT ROOM
d
RECREATION ROOM
Land and Home: ������������������������������ $2,450,000 Furniture and Equipment: ������������������ $250,000 Campaign Expenses: �������������������������� $50,000 Total Capital Campaign Goal: �������� $2,750,000
a Peer Support Group: Erin’s House employs a peer support approach to helping children and teens cope when a loved one dies. Together they are healing hearts and building hope.
c Volcano Room: One of the most popular destinations at Erin’s House, the Volcano Room is an invaluable outlet for energy and noise and even sadness and anger. With plenty of soft amenities and ripable paper, there is always an outlet for the more vocal and physical side of grief. d Hospital Room: We are fortunate to have a room where the kids can call the shots and get hands on with equipment and supplies that might have been ‘off limits’ when their loved one died. Here the fear dissolves into curiosity and discovery.
Aziz’s favorite thing about Erin’s House is Camp Good Grief. Erin’s House has three camps held once a year at no cost to the children, teens and families. Aziz says he likes camp best because, “I get to spend time with friends and other kids that are just like me.” Erin’s House uses peer support to help children know they are not alone in their grief. In our new home we plan to serve even more children, like Aziz, and expand our services and support program nights to meet the needs of busy family schedules.
aziz The Volcano Room at Erin’s House lets Maddie scream when she is mad or sad. When she tells her friend about Erin’s House, she likes to share stories about the mock hospital room. Erin’s House is fortunate to be one of only a few grief centers that provide a mock hospital room for children to explore. When children are impacted by a death, the story most often centers around an illness that included hospitalization. Erin’s House allows the children to touch the equipment, wear the lab coats and stethoscopes and make the diagnosis…easing some of the fear and anxiety that hospital rooms can sometimes bring with them.
Solani enjoys group time at Erin’s House. “We get to talk about our week and do craft activities!” Groups often use games and crafts to help children express themselves and their grief. In our new home, Erin’s House children will have more space in which to create and cope – including the ability to go outside to plant memorial gardens and play grief games.
Robert admits that he didn’t want to come to Erin’s House at first and he was angry to be there. Over time Robert participated more and more in group activities and sharing. He even took a giant leap of faith and participated in Teen Retreat. “Robert is the classic example of the Erin’s House magic at work,” stated Cindy Maldonado-Schaefer, Erin’s House Camp Director. “He may not realize his transformation, but it is evident to everyone around him.”
Lindsay and Roxanna agree, coming to Erin’s House is the best thing they’ve ever done for their family. “Erin’s House has helped me help my children and our family as a whole. Had we never experienced the gift the support groups provide to us, we would not have been able to face the day-to-day issues in life. As a parent I was able to grieve and learned how to help my children be able to grieve too.” Erin’s House became a part of their family’s new normal and helped their hearts begin to heal… together.
maddie
solani
robert
oxanna lindsay and r
Dave and Gail Farragh
Campaign Committee Dave and Gail Farragh – Honorary Co-Chairs Chris Rupp and Steve Brody – Co-Chairs Kim Grant Tracie Martin Rick Phillips Luke Squires Mark VanderHagen Karen Kasper, Campaign Director Debbie Meyer, Executive Director
Our 2012 Board Officers President, Steve Brody, Brody Consulting, LLC Strategic Planning VP, Mike Ziembo, Baden Gage & Schroeder Finance VP, Jim Houlihan, Houlihan LLP Board Development VP, Jane Wilks, Community Volunteer Secretary, Kim Grant, Impact Strategies, Inc. Jonathon Albright, PHP Tina Bennett, Hallmark Home Mortgage Lili Carroll, Visiting Nurse & Hospice Tammy Else, Lutheran Children’s Hospital Kristine Foate, Community Volunteer Jan Forbing, Lincoln Financial Group Doris Green, Community Volunteer Rick Henvey, Parkview Hospital
Paul Jamison, Jamison Meats Bob Jesch, D.O. McComb & Sons Karrie Kitch, Lake City Bank Cathy Krouse, Construction Control Carol Lindquist, IPFW Shelly Meyer, Tower Bank Tim Miller, Do It Best Mark Millett, Steel Dynamics, Inc.
Henry Najdeski, Barrett & McNagny Eric Norman, IPFW Mike Nutter, Tin Caps Edmond O’Neal, Workforce One Wendy Rowland, Lutheran Hospital Luke Squires, First Source Bank Theresa Wagler, Steel Dynamics, Inc.
Honorary Board Members: Tracie Martin, WANE-TV and Tom Trent, Rothberg Logan Warsco
2012 Capital Campaign ERIN’S HOUSE FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN
3811 Illinois Road, Suite 205 • Fort Wayne, IN 46804 P: 260.423.2466 • F: 260.432.5089 www.ErinsHouse.org erin's house provides support for children and teens and their families who have suffered the death of a loved one