AURORA, Colo. — Lots of bets will be placed in the days ahead of Super Bowl LVIII, and one local organization is tapping into the football frenzy with a friendly wager with the hope of helping kids in crisis.
Judi's House has been supporting grieving children and their families for more than 20 years – former Denver Bronco Brian Griese started the nonprofit, which provides free grief support for families.
Griese lost his mother to breast cancer when he was 12 years old and knows the sense of loneliness a child feels when in grief. He named the house after his mom.
He now serves as the quarterback's coach for the San Francisco 49ers, and so the Denver staff at Judi’s House huddled and threw down a Super Bowl fundraising challenge with the Solace House Center for Grief and Healing in Kansas City – a similar organization with a similar mission to Judi's.
The nonprofit that raises the most money wins the friendly bet. "The losing CEO will be wearing the jersey of the other team," said Jessica Mayo, Judi's chief executive officer. "So, we have a 49ers jersey in the works, ready to send their way when we win because we know Denver will come through for Judi's House."
Last year was Judi's 20th anniversary, and they have a brand new facility. Since opening, they have helped more than 14,000 people seeking support for death loss. The nonprofit makes sure it has clinically appropriate services to support grieving children and their families.
"There's an incredible need for the work that we do," Mayo said. "It's a place that really helps kids know that when they're grieving, that there are other kids that look like them, that they're not alone in that process. They can sit in a room with other children with similar experiences and with clinical support to help them know that really through connection comes healing."
This is a place designed to be a nurturing space to guide children and adults through the difficult time following a death.
Mayo said a loss can stem from anything, be it suicide, death or addiction. The nonprofit groups kids based on their loss experience. On one evening, kids who are coping with the death of a parent through suicide are grouped together, and on another evening, it may be a group with anticipated illnesses and long-term illnesses.
"You're really connecting on a level that is relevant for your personal experience," Mayo said. "Especially with a stigma that can come with from accidental overdose or suicide. So kids can feel safe talking to other kids who have similar experiences."
According to the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model cited on the nonprofit's website, an estimated 6 million U.S. children will experience the death of a parent or sibling by age 18. Childhood bereavement is a critical public issue that can profoundly impact individuals and communities.
Judi's House provides free services for any child ages 3-26 dealing with a death loss. They welcome the entire family for grief support, including group counseling, individual counseling and play therapy.
You can support their work by donating to Judi's House.
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