Solace House Center for Grief and Healing was founded in 1998 by two grieving moms who could find support for themselves, but not for their kids. In 2009, Solace House was brought under the auspices of Kansas City Hospice & Palliative Care as part of the mission of compassion care, where it continues to provide grief counseling and support free of charge to families, funded by support from donors throughout the community.  The staff of two full-time grief specialists is augmented by many trained community volunteers who help facilitate peer support groups for various ages and needs. Solace House is also called upon by local schools, businesses, and community groups to provide guidance and support to those left behind after sudden and often tragic loss.

“They’re second to none. It takes a special person to work with grief day in and day out. Solace House is blessed with volunteers who have worked with the organization for many years and they are a big piece to what makes it work,” stated Kimberly Brown, LCSW, of Rockhurst High School. When working at St. Thomas Moore Elementary several years ago, Kimberly called upon Solace House after the tragic death of a fifth grader. The staff was overwhelmed with the loss and Solace House came immediately to help both staff and students deal with this unexpected death.

“The main mission of Solace House is to provide hope for grievers,” stated Lisa Templeton-Farmer, Program Manager. “That they see how they’re feeling is not how they’re always going to feel. That it may take longer than they wanted, it may be harder than they want it to be, but there is hope for the future. They can find joy again.”

Solace Sensation, the celebration and inaugural fundraising event for Solace House was held Saturday, April 28, 2018, at Boulevard Brewing Company. Celebrating 20 years of caring for an estimated 20,000 grieving children, teens, and adults in the Kansas City area, approximately 200 people joined together to raise funds to provide grief support for area families who experience loss each year in the Kansas City community. The event will also honored two long-time volunteers, Sherry Ainsworth and Eddy Scanlon, who have dedicated thousands of hours over the past two decades to children and families served by Solace House.

You can help make a difference in the lives our Kansas City families by volunteering or donating to Solace House.