Valerie's House for Grieving Families names inaugural officers and directors

FORT MYERS, Fla. - March 24, 2016 - PRLog -- Valerie's House for Grieving Families, a not-for-profit organization devoted to helping children and families work through grief following the death of a loved one announces its inaugural corporate officers and board of directors.

Co-founders Angela Melvin and Caryn Smith were named President and Vice President, respectively. Melvin is Executive Director of Uncommon Friends Foundation and Smith is an entrepreneur with Rodan +Fields. Other officers are Secretary - Kristalyn Loson, Esq., Fort Myers Assistant City Attorney and Treasurer - Mary Silverstein, Senior Partner, RMG, LLC.

Members of the board of directors are as follows: Stephen Bienko, CEO, College Hunks Moving; Donna J. Caruso, CLU, Financial Advisor, New York Life; Barbara Fernandez, Executive Director of Human Resources, LeeSar, Inc.; Joy Gugliuzza, Realtor®, Royal Shell Real Estate; Kellie Nolan, Managing Partner, Be Brilliant! Marketing; Scott Sherman, Engineering Executive, Arthrex Inc.; Melodie Turish, Managing Director of Philanthropy, Southwest Florida Goodwill Foundation; and Michelle Whitlock, CEO, Siesta Pebble, Inc.

Valerie's House opened its doors to children in January 2016 and is currently serving 52 children and their caregivers from Lee, Collier, Charlotte and Hendry counties.  Valerie's House is a safe, comfortable place for children to share, grieve and heal together following the death of a close family member.  Located at 1618 Avalon Place in the historic Dean Park community of Fort Myers, Valerie's House will eventually expand to Naples and Cape Coral.

Valerie's House is named after Angela Melvin's mother, Valerie Melvin, a 31-year old nurse and mother of two daughters who was killed in a car accident in 1987. Melvin and Smith founded Valerie's House to help grieving children heal together and go on to lead fulfilling lives.

Valerie's House is fully supported through generous donations from the community. Ongoing support and donations can be made online at www.valerieshouseswfl.org or by mail to Valerie's House, Inc., PO Box 1955, Fort Myers, FL 33902. For more information or to register for programs, submit a contact form at www.valerieshouseswfl.org/contact-us/  or call 239-478-6734 or angela@valerieshouseswfl.org.