Brooke’s Place provides support groups, therapy services and community education to empower children, teens, young adults and their families to thrive in the midst of grief.

Our Mission

Experiencing the death of someone significant can be very isolating for children, and their behavior can often times be misinterpreted as something other than an expression of grief.  Risks of unaddressed grief in a child includes isolation, substance abuse, depression, poor school performance, aggression, and anxiety.

Because 1 in 7 children will experience the death of a parent, sibling or close loved one by the time they are 20, Brooke’s Place works to create a community where every young person living with grief feels safe, supported and understood during their personal grief journey.  

BROOKE’S PLACE IS BUILT ON THESE PRINCIPLES:

  • Grief is a natural reaction to the death of a loved one for young people as well as adults

  • Within each individual is the natural capacity to heal oneself

  • The duration and intensity of grief are unique for each individual

  • Caring and acceptance assist in the healing process

  • Our caring programs provide hope, help and healing by giving individuals a safe place to grieve.

Our Impact

87% of Brooke’s Place participants report increased healthy coping skills after attending our programs.

“Thank you for helping me express how I feel.”

-BP8 Teen

90% of Brooke’s Place participants report increased sense of belonging and decreased feelings of isolation after attending our programs.

“Brooke’s Place has always been there for me and it always helped me.”

-Water, 10

91% of Brooke’s Place participants report increased empathy after attending our programs.

“It’s okay to grieve.”

-CHT Teen Camper

Brooke’s Place Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

We are committed to fostering a safe, supportive, and welcoming space for grieving children, teens, young adults, and their families that respects and celebrates diversity, equity, and inclusion. This means we honor people of all races, ethnicities, national origins, gender identities and expressions, sexual orientations, socio-economic backgrounds, ages, religions, abilities and military status. We strive to incorporate this in our general operations, including but not limited to our recruitment, hiring, onboarding, promotion, and retention of staff, board members, volunteers and community partners and vendors.

We know that, like grief, our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion is a journey, and as a leading team of grief professionals in Indiana, we hold ourselves accountable for improving the accessibility and cultural relevance of our peer support groups, camp experiences, therapy services, professional training, community education, and resources. We are dedicated to passionately, intentionally, and actively engaging in dialogue, learning and practices that create diverse, equitable and inclusive spaces that support and represent the grieving families in our community.

Our History

  • American Eagle Flight #4184 Memorial

    On the night of October 31, 1994, American Eagle Flight #4184 crashed in a field in Roselawn, Indiana, killing all those aboard. Among those who died in this tragic accident was Thomas H. Wright, a DowElanco (now known as Corteva Agriscience) executive from Indianapolis.

  • Recognizing a Need

    Keenly aware of the need for on-going support for Tom’s children and others like them, Pam Wright and a multitude of individuals prompted the initial discussion and effort to develop a grieving center in Indianapolis. Later, Brooke was asked to lend her name to the organization in tribute to her courageous grief journey.

  • Opening of our Doors

    On April 15, 1999, 41 were in attendance on the very first program night at Brooke’s Place. Since the inception of grief support groups at Brooke’s Place, more than 30,000 children and their families have been supported.

  • Therapy Services Opens

    In 2008, Brooke’s Place introduced its therapy services program. Since then, 16,108 counseling sessions have been completed.

  • BP8 Outreach Support Group Start

    In 2015, Brooke’s Place established its outreach program BP8. BP8 was created to reach underserved individuals and communities impacted by all causes of death, especially death by homicide. 810 families have been enrolled in this program since 2015.

  • Camp Healing Tree

    In January of 2018, Camp Healing Tree became an official Brooke’s Place program! This weekend-long camp has served 421 grieving youth.

  • Ongoing Grief Support Group Locations Added

    In January 2018, Brooke’s Place added a second Ongoing Grief Support Group location at the Westside Church of the Nazarene. In August of 2023, a third location was added at the Rock Community Center off of Eastern Star Church’s Campus.