Last year wasn’t all bad, despite a global pandemic and major political unrest around the world. It’s important to focus on the good, and one really great thing that happened at Charlie’s Heart Foundation was the launch of our Charlie’s Heart Foundation Grant Program.
Since the beginning, it’s been a goal to create a grant program that would allow us to help other nonprofit organizations with missions similar to ours: keeping families together and thriving through even the toughest of life’s circumstances.
We received so many incredible applications for our first year of the grant, and it was difficult to narrow it all down to the nine organizations that were ultimately chosen. You can read more about the application and our selection process in this blog post.
Even though it was difficult, we are so happy with the organizations we ended up working with for the first year of the grant program, including The Still Place, which is based in Hayesville, North Carolina. The Still Place works with families who are grieving or have children or parents facing life-threatening illnesses. Nestled in the beautiful NC mountains, they offer rest and renewal to families through nature, art, spirituality, and other Southern Appalachian experiences. 
Families aren’t charged for the retreats through The Still Place, allowing them to connect, heal and create memories without taking on a serious financial burden. Each retreat is tailored to individual families, which we love because it allows families who want to rest and relax that opportunity while also giving other families more adventure and active options. 
With the Charlie’s Heart Foundation grant, The Still Place is hoping to start a bereaved mothers retreat called the “Still Their Mother Bereavement Program.” The program catering to mothers would help them explore and find tools for healthy grieving, memory-making, and self-care after the loss of a child to illness. It’s easy to see why this one really touched our hearts.
When a child or parent is diagnosed with a serious illness or dies, the entire family dynamic is changed forever. We love that The Still Place finds a way to meet all types of families where they are at to provide support and even a little fun during what can be an incredibly difficult time.
The work they are doing is so important. You can learn more about their organization and donate to them directly on their website.
