Baltimore Woman Helping Children Cope With Death Up For Prestigious Award
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- One Baltimore woman's mission to help children and teens cope with death may lead to a prestigious international award. She's one of ten finalists in CNN's "Top Heroes" contest and the only one from Baltimore.
Gigi Barnett reports she needs your vote to win.
"Nobody else was talking about this subject. No one else was addressing grief and loss," Annette March-Grier said.
Back in 2009, March-Grier decided to do something about that. She gathered trained volunteers and opened Roberta's House. It's a nonprofit grief and loss center in Central Baltimore--mainly for children and teens.
"They're coming in the door with multiple losses, from grandparents to siblings. They're seeing death, multiple, four and five deaths," March-Grier said.
A registered nurse by trade, March-Grier blames it on neighborhoods rife with violence, drug abuse and neglect.
Sometimes children are caught in the crosshairs, left without their loved ones. But Roberta's House, named after her mother, is the place to heal with arts and crafts, journaling and even a summer camp.
"We start asking more individuals, people who get into trouble, 'Tell me what happened in your life. Tell me what happened.' And this is heart work, it's not head work," said March-Grier.
And now, March-Grier's work has garnered international attention. CNN recently selected her for its Top 10 Heroes competition--an honor that brought $25,000 to her nonprofit. But with enough votes now, she could take home the number number one spot--a $100,000 prize.
It's a chance to line the walls at Roberta's House with more happy faces.
"It's been a long, hard journey. And so, this is a wonderful reward and also an affirmation that we're doing the right thing," said March-Grier.
Since 2008, Roberta's House has helped more than 2,300 people deal with death. About half of them are children and teens. March-Grier says she'd like to see a Roberta's House model in all major cities across the country.
March-Grier plans to open a Roberta's House program in Prince George's County soon.
Don't forget to vote for Roberta's House in CNN's Heroes award here.
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