On November 19 Brooke’s Place, a nonprofit dedicated to serving those living with childhood grief, will hold its annual Legacy of Hope fundraiser. The event will feature Will Reeve, son of the late actor Christopher Reeve, as the keynote speaker.
“We help children, teens, young adults and their families, and provide grief support services,” says Katie Harting, advancement manager for Brooke’s Place. “They’ve all experienced the death of a loved one – not necessarily a family member, but someone near and dear to them.”
Brooke’s Place helps children understand they don’t have to endure grief alone, and the organizations’s leaders do so through peer groups and therapy services, as well as activities and opportunities to meet new people.
“Indiana is the 12th highest state where someone will experience the death of a loved one before the age of 18,” Harting says. “It’s a big issue and we feel the need to support those families.”
The Legacy of Hope event helps to make this possible.
“This year we are hosting it virtually, and we have the honor to have Will Reeve as our keynote speaker,” Harting says. “He’s the son of the late Christopher and Dana Reeve, and is on the board of the National Alliance for Grieving Children. He’s super supportive of grief centers that help children and young adults.”
This is the eighth Legacy of Hope event, and though it will look a little different this year due to the coronavirus, there are more opportunities to reach a wider audience than ever before.
“We raise money in a couple of different ways – through corporate sponsorships, donors, and volunteers that give towards a matching gift fund,” Harting says. “Every dollar that’s raised the day of our event will be matched to a certain point, dollar for dollar.”
In addition, Brooke’s Place has an online fundraising page where those interested can register for a free ticket to the event and donate.
Though the fundraiser is normally held as a breakfast, this year it will be streamed live from the event website, and Will Reeve will appear via Zoom from his home in New York.
“It’s kind of a blessing, because there’s no cap limit,” Harting says. “It gives us an opportunity to reach people that normally might not be able to attend. Having someone like Will as our keynote speaker can be a huge draw.”
Children and families involved with Brooke’s Place will be able to stream the event while it’s aired, or watch it at a later time.
“Everyone’s grief is unique – how they grieve and the duration of it – and Brooke’s Place really honors that individuality of the grief and the person who is grieving,” Harting adds. “It’s something that is unique and meaningful.”
For more info on Brooke’s Place and the annual Legacy of Hope event, visit brookesplace.org, or call 317-705-9650.
Writer / Peyton Gigante
Photography Provided
