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The Story of Willow House |
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Willow House began in 1998 as a grassroots effort to serve the needs of grieving children and families in the north and northwest suburbs of Chicago. A small group of bereavement professionals, bereaved individuals and others advocating for grieving children and families began meeting in the Spring of 1998 in the living room of the founder. An important first decision was to offer groups that would be community based so that they would be more easily accessible, encourage and allow for ongoing peer support and interaction beyond the group setting and make this available within the comfort and familiarity of their own communities.
Areas for services were identified, churches in different communities were recruited to host these groups at no charge, the organization was incorporated in June 1998, volunteer facilitators were recruited and trained and the doors opened to the first four Willow House families in a church in Gurnee in January 1999.
Today, Willow House is recognized as a leader in the field locally and nationally. Peer support group services have expanded to four locations, including Arlington Heights, Chicago, Libertyville and Riverwoods with plans to expand to additional sites in the future. In the past 10 years, Willow House has provided direct services to hundreds of families each year. Thousands more have been served by community outreach programs that span the entire Chicago region, from far south suburbs of Chicago to the Wisconsin border and beyond.
Through donations, as well as corporate and foundation support, Willow House services are provided at no cost to our families.
"The most valuable thing I learned from Willow House group is that I am not alone and there is hope."
-Willow House Teen
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