Menu

York Center

Our York grief center is actually two houses, sitting side by side. One house functions as the center for families, and the other serves as the administrative offices for the staff of Olivia's House. The gardens in the front bright with color and energy, were designed to bring "hope" to the families as they approach our mission for the first time!

Olivia's House

Our York grief center is actually two houses, sitting side by side. One house functions as the center for families, and the other serves as the administrative offices for the staff of Olivia’s House. The gardens in the front bright with color and energy, were designed to bring “hope” to the families as they approach our mission for the first time!
Our garden is designed to allow the children a space for their "grief energy" as well as rituals to remember their loved ones. The memorial bricks that line the pavement, the fishpond, and the children's rock garden all bring a sense of peace intended for each family.

The Healing Garden of Hope

Our garden is designed to allow the children a space for their “grief energy” as well as rituals to remember their loved ones. The memorial bricks that line the pavement, the fishpond, and the children’s rock garden all bring a sense of peace intended for each family.
Middle school age children occupy the Dolphin Room, designed to support their need for peace and serenity amidst the chaos. The mural depicts the role a dolphin plays in rescuing a drowning person! The beautiful symbolism and deeper meaning serve this age group well.

The Dolphin Room

Middle school age children occupy the Dolphin Room, designed to support their need for peace and serenity amidst the chaos. The mural depicts the role a dolphin plays in rescuing a drowning person! The beautiful symbolism and deeper meaning serve this age group well.
Our family room and its Tree of Life mural are designed to remind all children that they are a part of a very large family. By having them sign their names on the mural in week seven of our program, they are connected to the house with a "safe place to fall should life be difficult again!"

The Family Room

Our family room and its Tree of Life mural are designed to remind all children that they are a part of a very large family. By having them sign their names on the mural in week seven of our program, they are connected to the house with a “safe place to fall should life be difficult again!”
Our library boasts the largest collection of resources pertaining to grief and loss in the state of Pennsylvania. From CDs and DVDs to books and magazines to classroom teaching units, the public is welcome to sign out materials for two weeks at a time.

The James Karns Memorial Lending Library

Our library boasts the largest collection of resources pertaining to grief and loss in the state of Pennsylvania. From CDs and DVDs to books and magazines to classroom teaching units, the public is welcome to sign out materials for two weeks at a time.
Designed to embrace the spiritual and intuitive needs of grieving teens, the Eskimo legend is a part of the décor: "Perhaps they are not stars in the sky but openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours down to let us know they are happy!" This is the largest of all rooms and gives teens the space they need.

The Teen Room

Designed to embrace the spiritual and intuitive needs of grieving teens, the Eskimo legend is a part of the décor: “Perhaps they are not stars in the sky but openings in heaven where the love of our lost ones pours down to let us know they are happy!” This is the largest of all rooms and gives teens the space they need.
A fully equipped recording studio was designed to give all children a safe place to share their thoughts without anyone responding. The room is designed for the staff to know what is said, while giving the children permission to keep their thoughts private. "What is said in the Confessional stays in the Confessional" -unless, of course, they wish to share by giving us permission to teach others from their wisdom.

The Confessional at Olivia's House

A fully equipped recording studio was designed to give all children a safe place to share their thoughts without anyone responding. The room is designed for the staff to know what is said, while giving the children permission to keep their thoughts private. “What is said in the Confessional stays in the Confessional” -unless, of course, they wish to share by giving us permission to teach others from their wisdom.
Designed to be "welcoming" to children, it is the first room a grieving family enters when they arrive at Olivia's House. Once a dentist's office, the children learn how we transformed this building into such a warm home!

The Welcoming Room

Designed to be “welcoming” to children, it is the first room a grieving family enters when they arrive at Olivia’s House. Once a dentist’s office, the children learn how we transformed this building into such a warm home!
Miniatures come to life in our Sand and Water Room! Designed to facilitate the grief work of young children whose vocabulary is limited, this beautiful room holds great energy! Decorated in memory of Lindsay Gardner, by her family, this room is very special to Olivia's House.

The Sand and Water Room

Miniatures come to life in our Sand and Water Room! Designed to facilitate the grief work of young children whose vocabulary is limited, this beautiful room holds great energy! Decorated in memory of Lindsay Gardner, by her family, this room is very special to Olivia’s House.
Equipped with grief-related toys and games, the play room serves our youngest grievers, whether they are preschool or elementary school age, and facilitates grief-work through play.

The Elementary Play Room

Equipped with grief-related toys and games, the play room serves our youngest grievers, whether they are preschool or elementary school age, and facilitates grief-work through play.
A big space, this room serves Olivia's House in many ways. It functions as our "teen art area" and also as a training facility for grief workshops. We hold board meetings as well as events in this space when necessary. The furniture can easily be removed to provide a play space during programs too, should the need arise!

The Multipurpose Room

A big space, this room serves Olivia’s House in many ways. It functions as our “teen art area” and also as a training facility for grief workshops. We hold board meetings as well as events in this space when necessary. The furniture can easily be removed to provide a play space during programs too, should the need arise!
When we learned that college-aged grievers were feeling a bit left out at Olivia’s House, we moved quickly to design a space just for them! This room has a peaceful and mature feel. Overstuffed sofas, a big screen television and a private location in the back of the house make the young adult room both comfortable and useful!

The Young Adult Room

When we learned that college-aged grievers were feeling a bit left out at Olivia’s House, we moved quickly to design a space just for them! This room has a peaceful and mature feel. Overstuffed sofas, a big screen television and a private location in the back of the house make the young adult room both comfortable and useful!
Anger management is important as children learn about grief and loss. Our nailing wall is a useful tool that allows children to "pound out" their pain. They name their anger with each nail they pound into the wall. Once finished nailing, they must remove the nail so as to see the hole it permanently leaves, signifying the importance of channeling our anger safely.

The Nailing Wall

Anger management is important as children learn about grief and loss. Our nailing wall is a useful tool that allows children to “pound out” their pain. They name their anger with each nail they pound into the wall. Once finished nailing, they must remove the nail so as to see the hole it permanently leaves, signifying the importance of channeling our anger safely.
Located in the lending library and painted by artist Bret Greiman, the Olivia's House Giving Tree demonstrates how generous our community has been to the mission of Olivia's House. Any individual or organization that makes a gift of $1,000 or more gets to select a leaf to have their name permanently displayed.

Giving Tree

Located in the lending library and painted by artist Bret Greiman, the Olivia’s House Giving Tree demonstrates how generous our community has been to the mission of Olivia’s House. Any individual or organization that makes a gift of $1,000 or more gets to select a leaf to have their name permanently displayed.
We know that if there is one room in every home that brings people together, it’s the kitchen! There is comfort in sipping on a mug of hot coffee and sharing a freshly baked cookie with those who support you, and nowhere is that sense of community and healing more important than at Olivia’s House. With a gift from The Powdermill Foundation, we were able to create “The Powdermill Foundation Café,” a space where adults, teens, and children alike can gather and feel like they are with family. And they are – their Olivia’s House family!

The Powdermill Foundation Café

We know that if there is one room in every home that brings people together, it’s the kitchen! There is comfort in sipping on a mug of hot coffee and sharing a freshly baked cookie with those who support you, and nowhere is that sense of community and healing more important than at Olivia’s House. With a gift from The Powdermill Foundation, we were able to create “The Powdermill Foundation Café,” a space where adults, teens, and children alike can gather and feel like they are with family. And they are – their Olivia’s House family!