EricsHouse, a Paradise Valley-based nonprofit organization, held its second Annual Hope & Healing event during World Mental Health Day.
EricsHouse’ mission is to provide hope, healing and fresh beginnings for those who have lost a loved one unexpectedly to suicide, alcohol or drug overdose. Through compassionate grief support, they provide a safe space where people can cope with these traumatic losses.
The organization held its fundraiser to raise money for the expansion of grief services for the community. Clients, members, EricsHouse representatives and local celebrities participated.
Marianne Gouveia co-founded EricsHouse with her husband Greg Eckerman and son Robert Gruler after their son and brother, Eric, died by suicide in February of 2016.
“EricsHouse works with people and families who have been impacted by devastating loss, with a focus on suicide and substance related deaths,” Gouveia said.
Eckerman highlighted the goals for the fundraiser.
“Our goal for this fundraiser overall is $100,000,” Eckerman said. “Our other goal is to share information about what we do with our members, how we support them and the variety of modalities we have to provide that support.”
“Today is really important for us. This is our primary fundraiser for the year, and it is our opportunity to enable EricsHouse to provide the grief support that our members need,” Eckerman said.
The fundraiser attracted support from other community organizations and people as well.
Billy Harfosh, host of Show Up Arizona on iHeartRadio, spoke about his show and how he is doing his part to promote good mental health.
“On the show, we do a lot of celebrity stuff and political stuff, but at the end of the day we are just trying to make a difference in a positive way through organizations like this,” Harfosh said. “We are trying to give a platform and give a microphone and highlight things that actually matter and actually make a change in our community. That’s what you guys are doing here today.”
The Director of Programs at EricsHouse, Jamie Lee Silver, discussed how to help people heal in healthy ways, including the grief support services the organization provides when someone is referred to them.
“We serve people who are suffering from deep and sudden grief by helping to heal the whole person – mind, body and spirit,” Silver said. “We do one on one grief support in person or via zoom.”
According to Silver, EricsHouse provides one-on-one support, group support, holistic healing, group socials and outsourced services as part of their integrated grief care.
“Your donations pay for us to be able to give our services,” Silver said.
Donations from the public help EricsHouse train additional grief companions, create educational workshops and seminars, host men and women’s support groups, and allow services to be provided on a scholarship basis. No one is turned away due to their inability to pay.
Kristen Polin, the CEO of notMYkid , said her company fights for better mental health for children and their families..
“We are an organization that exists to inspire positive life choices, and we have an array of prevention and early intervention treatment now to address issues that surround mental health and substance use disorder,” Polin said.
They hope to inspire kids and provide them, at an early age, with positive life choices so they can grow up living a healthy life free of poor mental health.
“Love lives here at EricsHouse,” Gouveia said. “Anyone who enters our door is filled with support. We hold them up, we love them, we hug them, we nurture them until they are ready to let go.”
EricsHouse welcomes calls from those who need support at 1-(855)-894-5658 or online at www.ericshouse.org.
