Valerie’s House’s new “Family is Forever Home” in Fort Myers. PROVIDED

A new “Family is Forever Home” recently opened its doors, giving grieving families the gift of somewhere they can always go in Fort Myers.

“It’s paid off. We didn’t have to take a mortgage out or loan. It is debt free,” Valerie’s House Founder and CEO Angela Melvin said. “Valerie’s House families will always have a house.”

She said they moved into their new house the first week of January after having a soft opening — a private event with some families and early donors — on Nov. 30.

“We had some families grieve the old house. That is where so much healing took place,” she said of the Fowler Street house they called home for five years. “It was small, and we certainly outgrew it, but it is difficult to say goodbye.”

The community is invited to attend a Community Wide Grand Opening of the Valerie’s House Family is Forever Home from 4:30-7 p.m., Thursday, March 14, and from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, March 15, at 3551 Valerie’s House Way, formerly Veronica Shoemaker Lane.

Valerie’s House’s new “Family is Forever Home” in Fort Myers. PROVIDED

The new house

The functionality of the previous, 1,700-square-foot home was difficult, as it became too small to host group nights, which sometimes caused the groups to have to meet outside.

The new home, a little more than 7,000 square feet, was first discussed in 2019.

That was when they secured the property from the city of Fort Myers, with a 100-year lease for a dollar a year. Unfortunately, the pandemic hitting in 2020 slowed planning, fundraising and construction.

Melvin said when they broke ground in April 2022, they felt secure that enough time had passed since COVID to begin fundraising and campaigning. Then, six months later Hurricane Ian hit.

“Because the builder, Lennar, is such a massive, national homebuilder, they had so many resources (and) were able to make it happen and keep it going even through the construction nightmare,” she said.

One of the best features of the home is that although large, it has a cozy, homey touch.

Melvin said there are big windows, a front porch with rocking chairs, a basketball court, a kitchen and dining area, not to mention various rooms that all hold a special place for those who use the home. She said there is a big art room for projects, as well as a volcano room with punching bags to work out anger.

The basketball court is a great upgrade from their “dinky” basketball hoop that rarely remained standing at the old house. Melvin said before they get into grief support groups, the kids and teens go outside to work off some energy.

Outside the home also features a firepit for groups to gather around, as well as a big playground and memory garden.

Melvin said the old house isn’t completely forgotten.

“There’s lots of color. Lots of kids’ artwork all over. We brought a lot of the old house artwork,” she said of inside the home.

Her favorite part of the house is the big kitchen, as the previous home actually did not have one.

The kitchen paid dividends on the first group night on Jan. 7.

“We baked cookies,” Melvin said. “It was so fun.”

The dining room has two long farm tables that seat 15 to 20 people each.

“They are big beautiful wooden tables,” she said, where they can eat together, break bread and have fellowship.

Valerie’s House worked with a design team of four who listened to and interviewed staff, as well as families, to get a sense of what they needed. Melvin said the furniture was either donated or given to them at cost.

She said the whole purpose is for families, who might be a little nervous asking for help, will be able to fit in and know there is a place for them.

“(The families can) walk up to see this incredible home built for them. It allows them to let down their guard a little bit more and gives us a chance to help,” Melvin said.

A reflection of the community

Valerie’s House currently has a little more than 300 families who visit the home on a monthly basis. They come from all around the region. Melvin said they represent all demographics and walks of life, financial backgrounds and races, and are there because of anything from car accidents or cancer, to suicide, overdose or out of the blue medical issues.

“When you walk into Valerie’s House, it’s a reflection of the community. Grief doesn’t discriminate. It is all of us. No matter who we are, we will be touched by death,” Melvin said.

On Jan 11, Valerie’s House celebrated the eighth anniversary of its first grief group night with 20 children in a shared space in downtown Fort Myers’ Dean Park. Since then, Valerie’s House has grown into offering many different groups ranging from grandparents raising grandchildren, children loss, traumatic loss and a young adults’ grief support group.

Valerie’s House also expands its walls by offering multiple support groups in Lee County schools.

“The community continues to embrace us. Everything we have done the community has said yes to and is open to it. They have wholeheartedly embraced us. The schools to law enforcement, to our partner nonprofits, city government, county government. We have had so much support,” Melvin said.

That support has also been through financial backers.

“The bulk of the money, 90% of what we received, is private funding at this point,” she said.

‘We did it’

A dream of helping others through their grief stemmed from Melvin losing her mother Valerie to an automobile accident in 1987, when she was only 10 years old.

“It’s hard to take a moment sometimes and take it all in,” she said of what Valerie’s House has turned into over the years.

Melvin is always ready to help the next family in need, treating them as if they were the first family to walk through the doors.

“When I pull up to the house in the morning, (and think) this is ours, this is Valerie’s House — we did it. We go there every day now. It’s beautiful. I hope we can continue to grow, and more families will give this a chance,” she said.

Valerie’s House offers a unique approach, something that had never been done in the community before. The home is both friendly and peaceful and offers a relaxed approach — as they do not claim to have all the answers.

She said they want families to have a voice, especially children and teens.

“It’s a sense of fellowship and community for people that have gone through grief,” Melvin said.

There’s also a pay-it-forward element to Valerie’s House as families who have gone through grief help others grieve as well.

“That is exciting — not even eight years ago, there was nothing like this. It is really a reflection of Southwest Florida and Lee County. It’s truly the supporters that have made it happen,” Melvin said. “Now we are leading the country. We are one of the top grief centers in the country. Grief centers are coming and touring with us from around the country to see what we are doing here.”

Those whose lives have been touched by grief are invited to visit valerieshouse.org.