Worthwhile causes and organizations abound throughout the Scenic 98 Coastal communities, and I’m always amazed at the impact these humanitarian efforts have in improving people’s lives. 

On a recent visit to Four Seasons Catering & Eatery for lunch with our talented graphic web designer, Justin Parrish, several ladies were taking a lunch break from a leadership seminar hosted by Quint Studer next door at the Saenger Theater. I noticed their name tags and asked about the program. 

“We are with Nonie’s Place here in Pensacola.” Since this wasn’t the time for a full discussion (and we were hungry), we exchanged cards, and I promised to follow up and schedule a sit-down to learn more. A few weeks later, I met Lori Fitzpatrick, Senior Director, and Janet Garrett, LMHC, Clinical Director of Nonie’s Place, a counseling center for families and children living in the Pensacola area. 

Nonie’s Place is an offshoot of the former Covenant Care Hospice program, which was sold after approximately forty years of operation. Part of the hospice care was a bereavement counseling program offered for children after the loss of a loved one. With Nonie’s Place, the Covenant Care Foundation continues the legacy of providing no-cost therapy for children and families who have suffered from a loss.

Nonie’s Place, opened in August 2023, is located at 1901 N. Palafox Street in a house in the North Hill neighborhood, near downtown Pensacola. The house has been renovated through the generosity of private donors. 80% of its participants are from low-income families who are referred to the program through schools, children’s homes, churches, and police and sheriff’s departments. The program is open to anyone experiencing loss.

As we sat down, Lori explained that grief is not just about death. “Any significant loss impacts the life of a child. It can be foster care, a parent’s deployment, or a house fire where everything is lost. These are traumatic events in a young person’s life that can have an immeasurable effect.”

When I entered the parking area, I noticed several newly landscaped areas where counselors can interact with participants. Lori came out to greet me and as we entered the house, I noticed how warm and inviting it was with soothing music playing in the background. 

“We want kids to feel welcome and at home. If you are coming to talk to someone about your loss, we want the place to not be sterile, like a doctor’s office. The first question we ask is, ‘Do you know why you are here?”

Janet tells me they are a client-centered program with clinicians who possess skills to identify emotions, process feelings, and communicate effectively. “Grief is about love. There is no getting over it. We all experience loss, and we all grieve differently. There are lots of different therapies, and we strive to help kids express their feelings and understand that they will still be able to live their lives. They are all concerned with who will fill the void.”

As a community outreach program, Nonie’s Place has about 60 current case loads and has served over 450 clients since March of this year. Besides individual counseling at Nonie’s Place, the Covenant Care Foundation also has My Wish and Vets Wish programs. 

“My Wish is for ‘end of life’ wishes for individuals. It’s simple things people want to experience locally, like a family outing to a Wahoos baseball game, or to go fishing, or just a family photo shoot. Vet Wish is a similar experience for veterans,” says Lori. “So far, we’ve touched over 6,500 people in the community.”

Each room in Nonie’s Place is designed with a purpose. Paintings by kids are on the walls, along with composites of photos of the children who have participated in Camp Monarch, a program sponsored by the Escambia County Children’s Trust. Names of donors to Nonie’s Place adorn the walls, and I recognize a couple I’ve known for years, which makes me feel proud to know these supporters.

Executive Director Aaron West joins us. He has a non-profit fundraising background and worked with Covenant Care before the hospice care program was sold. Under his direction, the Foundation assumed delivery of all children’s programs so that these grief services would continue and expand. 

”There’s a huge need in our communities for grief counseling that is accessible to all families regardless of their ability to pay,” he says.  “Nonie’s Place builds on a history of caring for families but takes it to the next level with a place for children to connect and be well.”

He tells me that 7,000 children in Santa Rosa County, Florida, will experience a death before the age of 18 this year alone. “We specialize in grief counseling, but it doesn’t have to be death. We provide a comfortable, clean, safe place for children to come and try to work through difficult circumstances.”

Donations helped pay for the renovations, and the continued support helps to cover counseling services, which, in the private sector, can cost from $100 to $130 per hour. As far as the Civic Leaders Summit, where I first met Lori and Janet, the entire office attended. Aaron adds, “It was a seminar on how to be a better citizen and included cradle to grave programs in Pensacola. How do we add value? Nonie’s Place addresses the real needs of children and teens in their lives.”

People who work in places like Nonie’s Place are the glue that holds our communities together. They are often the unsung heroes who go unnoticed or unrecognized, but are doing important work. Please consider what you can do to make a difference in the lives of those in need and the organizations that provide these support services.