Hello Empty Arms friends, supporters, and followers,
We are so excited to announce that after almost 9 years of patiently (and sometimes painfully) organizing our meetings in generously loaned spaces, Empty Arms Bereavement Support has found a home.
Tucked into the front corner of the Florence Business and Arts Center (formerly the Florence Community Center, and also known to many as the old Florence Grammar School), we have secured a room that will be large enough to house all of our current programs and allow us the ability to offer far more than we are currently able to offer without a location that is exclusively ours.
We are beyond excited. For years, we’ve longed to tuck people into comfortable chairs with cups of tea or coffee and make them feel at home. It’s our belief we will truly be able to do that in our new space. We are so grateful that we can design a space that truly allows us to provide a physically safe and comfortable environment for our community. No more will we face the over-formal setting of the conference room table, and we can say goodbye forever to fluorescent lighting.
We also see incredible options for expanding the support we provide with space of our own. No longer will people in crisis have to wait until the next support group meeting to connect with someone from Empty Arms in a private, safe setting. Our space will be large enough to not only host support groups but also trainings, potlucks, and parenting after loss playgroups. Our staff can work out of organized offices and become more productive. As our capabilities continue to expand, we look forward to learning what other types of programs and events we can offer.
You’ll see more details about our new space in upcoming emails. This is a HUGE step for Empty Arms! In the past, we’ve always felt compelled to scrimp on our expenses, but we feel the time has come to prioritize a home. It’s going to take everyone’s participation to make this happen. On May 3rd, Empty Arms will be participating in the Valley Gives Day campaign again! Our fundraising this May will be specifically targeted towards starting a nest egg to ensure that we can stay in our own place for years to come. We’ll be asking every person involved in Empty Arms to reach out to their communities to help us fundraise to acquire and maintain what we believe will be a true asset for all Empty Arms families now and in years to come.
With great hope and anticipation,
Carol and the team at Empty Arms