Supporting Grieving Families: Wildhorse Foundation’s Partnership with Cork’s Place Kids Grief Center

For decades, the Wildhorse Foundation has been committed to strengthening communities and supporting organizations that make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families in the region.

One grantee that shares this goal is Tri-Cities Chaplaincy. Since 2019, the Foundation has awarded $18,500 in grants to support improvements and upgrades specifically for Cork’s Place Kids Grief Center, a program that offers grief support to youth at no cost. These funds have helped ensure that young people facing grief have access to consistent care and a safe, supportive space.

Cork’s Place is the only grief support facility in the Tri-Cities that is specifically designed for children, teens, and families. Families often arrive unsure of what to expect or how to talk about what they’re experiencing at home.

Nicole Marshall, Bereavement Supervisor for Tri-Cities Chaplaincy, explained that Cork’s Place exists to help families understand that there is no “right way” to grieve. “When they come to our program, we want children and caregivers to know that what they are feeling is normal, that everyone’s grief journey looks different, and that it is absolutely okay to feel exactly how they feel,” she said. Through play, art, conversation, and movement, children learn to express emotions that might be tough to talk about on their own.

Caregivers also find valuable skills and support from Cork's Place. They learn how children grieve at different ages and continue important conversations at home. “Families leave feeling more supported and better equipped to navigate their grief together,” Marshall shared.

A $5,000 grant from the Wildhorse Foundation was used to renovate the Guardian Room in 2024. “The Guardian Room received a much-needed refresh… creating a warm and cozy environment where caregivers feel comfortable opening up and connecting with one another,” said Nicole Marshall.

While the work happening inside Cork’s Place is powerful, sustaining and improving it requires additional funding, and that’s where the Wildhorse Foundation’s partnership has made a big difference.

The Wildhorse Foundation grants have recently provided essential improvements to some of the most meaningful rooms within the center — spaces that affect the experience of every child and caregiver who walks through the door: the Guardian Room and the Volcano Room.

The Volcano Room, where kids can process their grief through physical expression, is now undergoing renovation with a $5,000 grant awarded in 2025 that will allow TCC to replace wall padding and update other materials.

“These rooms were outdated and no longer met the needs of the families we serve, and Wildhorse’s generosity made it possible to transform them into warm, engaging, and functional spaces that truly support healing,” Marshall noted. “As our programs grow and expand, we’ve also learned how important it is that our spaces grow with us and get refreshed to better support the increasing number of families we serve and the different types of groups and activities we facilitate.”

As Cork’s Place continues to grow, the need for sustained community support remains critical. One of the biggest challenges the program faces is simply awareness. Many families still don’t know the service exists, or they worry they need referrals or insurance to participate. But at Cork's Place, support is available and free to anyone who needs it.

Wildhorse Foundation funding helps ensure that as more families discover Cork’s Place, the program has the capacity to welcome them.

“My hope for the future of Cork’s Place is that we continue to grow as a place where families feel seen, supported, and understood during some of the hardest moments of their lives,” Marshall said. “Our work is deeply rooted in education and validation, helping families understand that what they’re feeling is normal, reminding them that they’re not alone, and giving them tools to navigate grief both in our space and out in the world.”

Those hopes closely mirror the vision of the Wildhorse Foundation: a community where every person has access to the support they need to thrive.