The mission of Solace House is to provide a safe and understanding environment where grieving children and their families can obtain support from counselors, trained volunteer facilitators, and other families in similar situations. We recognize and honor the unique experience of every family’s journey toward healing. Solace House provides support groups, counseling services, professional referrals and resources to assist grieving families. Solace House receives calls nearly every day from families that have suffered a loss as a result of an illness, unexpected
accident, pregnancy loss, or by an experience related to a homicide or suicide. No matter what the reason, these families call Solace House because they are in pain and are seeking support, guidance and community connection.

The goals of Solace House are to help children and families:

Solace House was founded on these beliefs:

Solace House was founded in April, 1996, through the vision and passion of two women,
Colleen Millett Pelz and Janie Harris Ewell.

In October, 1995 Colleen’s husband, Robert, was killed in a work-related accident at age 48. As
a pediatric nurse for over 20 years, she felt skilled and confident in communicating with children
of all ages. However, Colleen found herself at a loss when responding to her own children’s
questions and emotions. It is through Colleen’s research to help her own children that she
learned that over 200 family grief centers like Solace House existed nationwide, but none were
located in Kansas or Missouri at the time.

Janie visited the Warm Place in Fort Worth, Texas with Colleen and was impressed by how the
center utilized support groups for children based upon their developmental stage. This was especially compelling to Janie because she had experienced the death of her father at age four, her brother at age seven, and a brother-in-law at age thirteen. She was called to the mission based upon these losses while drawing upon her business and teaching experience to help create Solace House.

Inspired by a double rainbow that reached from the north of Kansas City to the south, Colleen
and Janie, along with caring individuals throughout Kansas City, opened the doors of Solace
House in February, 1998. Solace House has since been recognized by Partnership for Children
and featured in the local and national media for the positive difference it makes in the lives of
children and families. Additionally, Solace House is governed by a highly qualified board of
directors and managed by a dedicated staff; we continue to exist thanks to the generosity and
compassion of Kansas City.