By: Kristy Pate, Director of Marketing, UWWF
Pensacola, Fla. -- United Way of West Florida (UWWF) is committed to strengthening our community by investing in local organizations that provide critical support where it’s needed most. One of those powerful partnerships is with Valerie’s House Northwest Florida, a nonprofit dedicated to helping children and families navigate the loss of a loved one.
What began as a local chapter has grown into a fully established 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and April just marked five years of Valerie’s House NWFL serving families in the community. Over that time, it has become a place where children can find comfort, connection, and the tools they need to process grief in a healthy way.
At Valerie’s House NWFL, children are supported through peer groups, shared experiences, and guided conversations that help them understand and cope with loss. The approach is intentional, creating a space where healing and hope can exist side by side.
“We meet many people at the worst time in their lives, but we want to make working on grief fun,” said Crista Brandt, President and Founder of Valerie’s House NWFL. “It doesn’t seem like it should go together, but this is their reality and we teach them how to cope.”
Brandt’s passion for this work is deeply personal. After experiencing loss herself, she felt called to create a space where others, especially children, would not have to walk through grief alone.
“Grief doesn’t have a timeline,” she said. “I lost my mom when I was 11 years old. I can grieve without pain now.”
When tragedy struck again years later, Brandt felt called to turn that understanding into action.
“Three weeks after moving here my best friend died. She was 43 and she had an 11-year-old daughter. This reignited my passion to help others experiencing loss.”
Today, that vision has grown into a vital resource for families across our community and continues to expand its reach and impact with the support of UWWF.
The relationship between UWWF and Valerie’s House NWFL has played a critical role in that growth. Through funding and collaboration, UWWF helps ensure that Valerie’s House NWFL can continue offering its life-changing programs to the families who need them most.
“So much of our growth in the community has been from getting our initial UWWF grant. Our United Way of West Florida partnership has helped us to be successful. Their impact makes a difference,” Crista shared. “UWWF’s Day of Caring has been huge for us every year as well to accomplish things we otherwise wouldn’t be able to do.”
UWWF is guided and supported by a dedicated Board of Directors made up of local community and business leaders who help advance the organization’s mission and strategic vision. The board provides governance, financial oversight, and leadership while working alongside staff to address the most pressing needs in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
“Earlier this year, I joined United Way of West Florida’s Time to Shine Tour to learn more about Valerie's House NWFL,” said Gregory Jackson, Florida Power and Light senior customer advisor and UWWF board member. “From the moment I arrived, I was deeply moved that a place like this exists in our community… (their) mission resonated with me on a very personal level.”
Jackson said his mother passed away when he was a senior in high school.
“I was the last child at home, trying to finish school on my own while managing work, bills, and the weight of wondering how I would pay for college. My siblings encouraged me to move and live with them, but I believed I was strong enough to manage alone,” Jackson said.
Though he appeared upbeat to those around him, Jackson said he mourned deeply inside, mentally and emotionally. His friends had empathy but he knew they couldn’t truly understand the depth of his loss.
“As I toured Valerie's House NWFL, I was amazed by the environment they have created — a safe, welcoming space where grieving children can talk, play, and simply be with others who truly understand their feelings. It is a place to connect, encourage one another, and feel genuinely loved. Seeing that moved me in a way I did not expect.”
Jackson said Valerie's House NWFL depends on the support of the community — both financially and through partnerships with health and human service agencies — to do more than help children survive the loss of a loved one.
“With the right support, they can comfort, uplift, and empower children to truly thrive. The partnership with United Way West Florida helps ensure that mission has the reach and resources it deserves.”
Together, United Way of West Florida and Valerie’s House NWFL are building a stronger, more compassionate community—one family, one child, and one moment of healing at a time. Through this cooperation, more children are finding safe spaces to grieve, more families are receiving support during difficult times, and more individuals are discovering that they are not alone.
“At some point in life, we all need assistance,” Jackson said. “Whether due to failing health, financial hardship, family challenges, or environmental circumstances. When we give and receive help, and when we see hope restored, it encourages others to show compassion and pay that generosity forward. Community involvement creates a cycle of care that lifts everyone.”
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