Jessica’s House, a ministry to grieving children, teens, young adults, and their families, finished construction on their $5.4 million new home in Turlock, California.
Since its founding in 2012, Jessica’s House has offered support groups for those who have experienced an array of losses—parent, sibling, grandparent, pregnancy, Covid-19, hope after suicide, hope after homicide.
The nonprofit had been renting a small house, but they had run out of space, with many children on a waitlist. The first floor of the new 15,600-square-foot craftsman-style house includes meeting rooms, a larger group meeting area, and rooms centered on specific grief therapeutic strategies, such as art, music, and games. The house also includes office space and an outdoor area for play, teen activities, and a quiet courtyard.
The community raised $3 million, which was matched by EMC Health, a nonprofit formed by Covenant Ministries of Benevolence after the sale of Emmanuel Medical Center, which helped launch Jessica’s House. National Covenant Properties provided a bridge loan to keep construction on schedule while fundraising took place. Due to Covid, families have been supported virtually this past year with 336 peer support groups.
