Local nonprofit Ronnie’s House For Hope surprised with $10,000 Coachella Valley Spotlight grant
Local nonprofit Ronnie's House For Hope was surprised with a $10,000 grant. It's all made possible by the Coachella Valley Spotlight grant: a partnership between News Channel 3 and H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation. It recognizes local nonprofits making a difference in the community.
Catharine Reed and Mike Stutz from the Berger Foundation and Kent Kay with News Channel 3 surprised RHFH founder and president Jennifer Loza and the organization's secretary, Mackenzie Blaylock.
RHFH specializes in peer-based grief support groups and education. It offers school-based grief support groups, adult groups, and family-based groups.
The organization's mission is to provide support for children, teens, and their families following a death. It offers a safe place for sharing experiences, and feelings, developing coping skills, and making connections with others who understand.
The nonprofit's vision is to build resilience and strengthen families so that they can live a healthy and thriving life after losing a loved one.
RHFH was founded in 2018 in honor of Ronnie Loza. Ronnie was a husband and father, when he died, his wife and two children were left to grieve alone.
Ronnie's wife, Jennifer Loza, said the Coachella Valley needed a specialized grief support program that served all ages, so she made it her mission to create the Valley’s only peer-based grief-focused support program. Tragically, in 2020, Jennifer lost her youngest son, Steven, to Fentanyl poisoning. Jennifer hopes that Ronnie’s House for Hope can be a safe haven for grieving families like hers.
