By Srishti Tripathi
When Keisha Wheeler’s husband passed away, she was suddenly a widowed mother of seven navigating a world of profound loss. She quickly realized that grief ignores age, watching her 1 and 3-year-old children deeply feel their father’s absence. When the local grief support group that helped her family heal ceased operations, Wheeler knew she had to act. Driven by faith, community and necessity, she founded Hand in Hand, a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to supporting grieving children and caregivers.
Every Tuesday evening, Hand in Hand transforms a local space into a comforting haven. The night begins with a shared light meal, followed by age-appropriate activities like art, storytelling and peer discussions. Simultaneously, a caregiver group provides adults with tools to support their children while navigating their own sorrow. Wheeler intentionally cultivates an environment where joy and grief coexist freely, ensuring no emotion is hidden.
“At Hand in Hand, there is no pressure to share before you’re ready,” Wheeler noted. “We simply offer a safe place to be with people who understand.”
The organization’s profound impact has expanded far beyond Florida. Thanks to University of South Florida (USF) interns, Hand in Hand now reaches families in states such as Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Georgia through virtual support groups and personalized touches like handwritten cards. Wheeler views her own children as ‘grief ambassadors’ who help lead this mission, embodying the spirit of service they practiced alongside their late father.
“Serving others has become part of their healing,” Wheeler shared. “It reminds them that even in the midst of loss, there is still purpose.”
Operating entirely on donations and volunteers, Hand in Hand aims to welcome 25 additional families in Brandon through the generosity of St. Andrew’s United Methodist Church. To secure sustainable funding, the organization is looking forward to its annual October fundraising gala, Art Heals the Heart, hosted by The Regent, which showcases artwork from local artists and participants.
Looking ahead, Wheeler envisions ‘The Oasis of Hope,’ a 3 to 5-acre healing farm in Hillsborough County where families can find quiet retreat. Ultimately, her mission is to completely reshape how society views loss.
“I always tell the children, ‘Your grief is welcome here,’” Wheeler said. “My hope is that one day they won’t need a special place to hear those word, that every grieving child will grow up in a community that understands grief.”
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