“How can Chris’s Place help you in your grief journey?”
That’s a question Port St. Lucie resident Stacey Comer would like to ask anyone who needs support after losing a loved one, and not only right after the loss but even years later.
“I want to help people. I want to create a space to help people going through grief,” said the enthusiastic and driven Comer. “This is not to duplicate. It’s complementary. I’m not trying to reinvent the wheel. This helps fill a gap.”
Chris’s Place was founded by Comer following her husband Chris’ death after she found there was no single local place to turn for both emotional support and the practical guidance needed after enduring such a loss.
The program began last week with drop-in locations open for those who need help or just want to talk to someone and not be alone.
The organization is currently pursuing 501(c)3 status and is working toward a permanent home for grief support on the Treasure Coast, but in the meantime, Comer is busy networking and gaining support. Once the 501(c)3 comes through she can begin raising funds. She’d also like to look into finding sponsorship.
Comer’s first benchmark is to raise $350,000.
“At that point I would start looking for an independent space,” said Comer. “I am open to being creative with the space concept.”
She’s also looking forward to meeting people who come to drop-ins. She intends to be at every event and is trained to help, as she not only has personal experience, but just graduated two weeks ago as a certified grief and trauma coach.
“I have grief exercises. I’m happy to just talk to people who want a hug,” she said. “Maybe they start their day at Chris’s Place. Maybe they don’t want to eat by themselves. I have some tenure. I’m five years ahead.”
Comer’s husband Chris passed away in his 40s after an illness. Before passing Chris lost his sight due to his Type 1 diabetes.
She initially went to grief programs, even going through the same one several times because it was so helpful. “Everyone wanted to connect after the group,” she said.
“There is the ability to create a new normal. Chris wouldn’t want me to throw my life away. I have done a lot of intentional work to be able to go out and talk about this.”
While she has been working toward establishing Chris’s Place for quite some time, Comer lost her job in April and subsequently decided it was time to step back and go “all in” on Chris’s Place.
“I want to be a resource center for people to be able to help each other,” said the young widow.
“I want to share that there is hope in this. Grief is like the ocean, it ebbs and flows,” she said, noting that some days it’s calm and others it is not. “I certainly still have my ambushes.
“Everyone’s loss is different. People grieve the same person but it’s not the same,” said Comer, who spends her husband’s July 4th birthday at the beach. “My body feels it at the beginning of June.”
Since she believes all losses are different, she will enlist volunteers who may be able to relate to different types of losses such as loss of a sibling or a child, parent, etc.
The drop-in sessions offer a place for anyone navigating the death of a loved one to connect with others who understand, ask practical questions about the logistics that follow a loss, and simply be around people who get it.
Chris’s Place community grief drop-ins began last week and will continue on Tuesdays and Thursdays at different locations.
Thursday drop-ins are as follows: Today, Sept. 10 and Sept. 17 at the Donahue Community Room at Cummings Library in Palm City; at the Blake Library Trustees Conference Room in Stuart on Sept. 24; and at the Hoke Library in Jensen Beach on Oct. 1. All Thursday sessions will take place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Tuesday drop-ins are as follows: Sept. 8, at the Cummings Library and Sept. 22 and Sept. 29 at the Hoke Library in Jensen Beach. All Tuesday drop-ins are from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
No registration is required at the door and there is no cost. All are welcome to drop in and stay as long as desired.
Although the three locations are in Martin County, St. Lucie County residents are welcome. Comer is actively pursuing St. Lucie County locations and eventually a set Chris’s Place location.
Chris’s Place does have a board of directors, and they are actively looking for a treasurer. She’s also looking for people to help. “I’m looking for everybody,” said Comer.
For more information contact [email protected] or @ChrissPlaceFL or
chrissplace.org.