About the Nonprofit
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The mission of Willow House is to provide grief support and education for youth, families, schools and other communities grieving the death of a parent, sibling, or child. Our free services are where hope lives and healing begins, providing space for people to grieve in companionship with others who share a similar loss. Our vision is that no child, teen or parent grieves alone.
We serve children ages 3 to 18, young adults up to 25 years of age and actively parenting adults in Lake, McHenry and Cook Counties.
One in 13 children in Illinois experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18 – this is compared to one in 15 just a year ago. ( Source: Judi’s House 2022 Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model). Further, the death of a parent, sibling or other important person in a child’s life is one of the most frequently reported disruptive childhood experiences. (Source: Judi’s House 2022 CBEM Key Topic Report) Studies show that youth whose grief goes unattended are: five times more likely to die by suicide (Source: USDHHS, Bureau of the Census); nine times more likely to drop out of high school (Source: National Principals Association);ten times more likely to engage in substance abuse (Source: Rainbows, UK); and twenty times more likely to have behavioral disorders (Source: CDC).
Our purpose is to change this narrative by providing grief support through education, resources and the development of healthy coping skills in compassionate environments with others who share a similar loss. We also provide education and resources to those seeking to effectively support these youth and their families, such as schools and first responders.