Help us Build Our New Home

ERIN’S HOUSE FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN2012 Capital Campaign

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ouse.org ERIN’S HOUSE FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN2012 Capital Campaign

Dear FriendsWhat 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?

• 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.

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

Erin, Tony and Megan Farragh

Erin’s House provides support

for children, teens and their

families who have suffered the

death of a loved one.

All of our services are provided free of charge through the generosity of our donors.

build our new homeYou Can Help Us

FORT WAYNE

LANSING

ANN ARBOR

GOSHEN

INDIANAPOLIS DAYTON

CLEVELAND

Frequently Asked Questions• When 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.

• Why 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 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.

• Where will the new building be 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.

0

300

600

900

1200

1500

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

Map indicates locations of other area grief centers.

St. Joe Center Road

Reed Road

St. Joe Road

Maplecrest Road

Our Regional Community

Number Served

c

a

b

d

TRAININGROOM

CRAFTROOM

RECREATIONROOM

ATRIUM

WELCOMEROOM

ADMINISTRATIVEAREA

QUIET ROOM

ENTRY

FORT WAYNE

LANSING

ANN ARBOR

GOSHEN

INDIANAPOLIS DAYTON

CLEVELAND

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.

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

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.

Program Rooms

Specialty Rooms

Gathering Room

Atrium

Administrative Offices & Training Room

Service & Mechanical Areas

Key

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.

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.

aziz

maddie

solani

robert

lindsay and roxanna

ERIN’S HOUSE FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN2012 Capital Campaign

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

ERIN’S HOUSE FOR GRIEVING CHILDREN2012 Capital Campaign

Campaign CommitteeDave 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

Jonathon Albright, PHPTina Bennett, Hallmark Home Mortgage

Lili Carroll, Visiting Nurse & HospiceTammy Else, Lutheran Children’s Hospital

Kristine Foate, Community VolunteerJan Forbing, Lincoln Financial GroupDoris Green, Community Volunteer

Rick Henvey, Parkview Hospital

Paul Jamison, Jamison MeatsBob Jesch, D.O. McComb & Sons

Karrie Kitch, Lake City BankCathy Krouse, Construction Control

Carol Lindquist, IPFWShelly Meyer, Tower Bank

Tim Miller, Do It BestMark Millett, Steel Dynamics, Inc.

Henry Najdeski, Barrett & McNagnyEric Norman, IPFWMike Nutter, Tin CapsEdmond O’Neal, Workforce OneWendy Rowland, Lutheran HospitalLuke Squires, First Source BankTheresa Wagler, Steel Dynamics, Inc.

Our 2012 Board OfficersPresident, 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.

Honorary Board Members: Tracie Martin, WANE-TV and Tom Trent, Rothberg Logan Warsco

Dave and Gail Farragh