Brooke’s Place, 8935 N. Meridian St., Indianapolis, will hold its 10th annual Legacy of Hope breakfast from 7:30 to 9 a.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17 at the recently renovated Ritz Charles, 12156 N. Meridian St., Carmel.
At this no-cost event, enjoy a hot breakfast while making a difference in the lives of bereaved youth. The breakfast is an annual fundraiser that coincides with National Children’s Grief Awareness Day, a day that spotlights children’s grief and honors grieving families during the often-difficult holiday season. During the event, Brooke’s Place will be marking its 23rd year of providing grief support services to the youth of Central Indiana and celebrating the individuals who have helped along the way.
Brooke’s Place is pleased to announce that current Brooke’s Place teen, Corey-Jacob, and former Brooke’s Place mom, Julie Rockwood, will be the key speakers at the breakfast.
Corey-Jacob first started attending Brooke’s Place after his sister died by suicide. “She struggled to find the light, as I did,” he said. “The reason I’m still here is because I found that light. I got counseling, found help, found Brooke’s Place.”
Julie Rockwood is a former Brooke’s Place mom, intern, and current volunteer. Following the death of her husband and mom due to cancer, Julie’s daughter participated in the Brooke’s Place community outreach program, BP8. After seeing the impact that Brooke’s Place had on the children participating, Julie decided to become more involved. “All of a sudden, I heard inside me, this was something I could do,” she said.
Unresolved childhood grief can substantially increase the likelihood of depression, substance abuse, and poor school performance. Brooke’s Place provides families and children hope and healing during their grief journey. In 2021, Brooke’s Place provided grief support and education to 2,708 individuals. After attending Brooke’s Place, 93 percent of therapy clients, 97 percent of Camp Healing Tree participants, 96 percent of BP8 participants, and 87 percent of ongoing grief support group participants reported having increased coping skills. Therapists, volunteers, and staff at Brooke’s Place work tirelessly toward their vision of children, teens, young adults, and their families living with grief feeling safe, supported and understood.
About Brooke’s Place
Brooke’s Place has been providing grief support services since 1999. Brooke’s Place provides support groups, therapy services and community education to empower children, teens, young adults and their families to thrive in the midst of grief. Since its inception, Brooke’s Place has provided services to more than 24,000 individuals. For more information, please visit brookesplace.org.