After losing a loved one, many families do not know where to turn.
That is why the Charlene Reaveley Children’s Charity Society (CRCCS) is opening a drop-in centre, offering resources and a quiet place for families that are grieving.
“Sometimes when you are going through a loss, you just want to go to a place where you feel normal,” said Kim Debenedictis, one of the directors of the charity. “This is a safe haven.”
The Shaughnessy Street headquarters will be on display during an open house on Oct. 15 between 2 and 7 p.m. Debenedictis said it will be an opportunity for the community to become more familiar with the resource centre and see the changes that have occurred over the last couple of years.
When CRCCS first moved into the office space, it was in need of some renovations. But with the help of a grant from the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative and a few volunteers, they were able to frame some rooms, add new flooring and put on a fresh coat of paint.
The drop-in centre now has a counselling room and a separate boardroom with a lending library full of books for all ages focusing on different stages of grief.
Debenedictis is familiar with the struggles that can occur after a family loses a loved one.
She was there when her friend, Charlene Reaveley, was killed in a hit-and-run drunk-driving collision along with Lorraine Cruz. Reaveley was a wife to her husband Dan and mother of four children, and Debenedictis said their tight-knit group of friends and family struggled through the loss and eventual trial of the driver in the crash.
She said she hopes CRCCS Counselling and Resource Centre will give families a place to turn in their time of need.
“They can pop in,” she said. “It is for all different ages. They can come in, they can read. This is a safe place.”
• The official opening of the CRCCS Counselling and Resource Centre will take place on Oct. 15, 2 to 7 p.m. For more information, visit www.crccs.ca.
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