About Us
Our mission, vision, and core values lay the foundation for Judi’s House/JAG Institute to provide the highest quality care to grieving children and families while being thoughtful in our approach to expanding our reach through training, education, and research.
Mission & Vision
Our mission is to help children and families grieving a death find connection and healing.
Our vision is that no child should be alone in grief.
Core Values
Accountability
We hold ourselves and each other accountable for the purpose that connects us to Judi’s House.
Compassion
We invite and value the unique and shared universal experience of grief.
Courage
We strive for continuous growth by challenging the status quo, discovering blind spots, and learning from our accomplishments and mistakes.
Respect
We value differences and promote environments where everyone can authentically express themselves to advance equity and understanding.
History of Judi’s House
When former NFL quarterback Brian Griese was just 12 years old, his mother Judi died of breast cancer. Along Brian’s path to healing, he realized he wanted to give back to children and young adults who were also grieving the loss of an important person in their lives.
In 2002, Brian and his wife, Dr. Brook Griese, a clinical psychologist specializing in childhood trauma and loss, founded Judi’s House in Denver.
Judi’s House is a community-based nonprofit bereavement center for children and families with the vision that no child should be alone in grief.
In order to achieve this vision, Judi’s House is committed to providing comprehensive grief care services for bereaved youth and families at Judi’s House as well as in school- and community-based settings throughout Metro Denver. These vital services are delivered at no cost to families thanks solely to philanthropic support.
Judi’s House is also committed to contributing to knowledge that helps identify and meet the needs of the bereaved everywhere. In 2014, Judi’s House launched JAG Institute (named in memory of Brian’s mother, Judith Ann Griese) as a center for learning, focused on expanding the evaluation, research, and training opportunities necessary to share successful bereavement programs.
By integrating practice, research, and community, Judi’s House is uniquely positioned to create social change regarding childhood bereavement and serve as a national leader in the effort to increase access to effective, individualized care for the bereaved.