About Us

The willow is usually looked upon with a vision of sadness and grief, but sitting under the willow can be seen as protection and comfort. This tree has a sense of courage to it. It allows the whole world to see it's inner most feelings.

Board of Directors   * Currently recruiting additional members

Belinda Denman
A successful executive who has over 20 years in a business environment with an emphasis on sales/marketing and human resource including leadership development. She has received her grief facilitator certification from The Dougy Center, Portland, OR.

Lisa Locklin
Specializing in psychology and speech communications, she has been teaching for over 20 years with both her elementary and secondary certifications. She has received her grief facilitator certification from The Dougy Center, Portland, OR.

Melissa Fogarty
With her masters in special education, she has worked in the elementary classroom for 5 years teaching in both the general education class room, as well as, in the special education program. She has received her grief facilitator certification from The Dougy Center, Portland, OR.

Dee Dee Wheeler
Certified secondary level teacher with over 15 years experience in the high school and middle school classroom. In 2002, she received her certification from the M.B. Flippen Group, Inc. in Teen Leadership.

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Advisory Board

Susan Latta LMFT, Bereavement Counselor
Hospice of Chattanooga
Chattanooga, TN

Lauren Chandler, MSW
Director of Teen Theatre Troupe
The Dougy Center
Portland, OR

Mercy Labrador
Queen Lili’uoKalani Children’s Center
Koloa, HI

Fran Roberts, M.A., Bereavement Counselor & Manager
Pikes Peak Hospice & Palliative Care
Colorado Springs, CO

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• Provides a safe place to create peer support for children and families who are grieving the death of a loved one.
• Create a camp where grieving children and families have fun and receive support and encouragement from other grieving kids their age.
• Provide a comprehensive program to educate, train and support, teachers and counselors on the effects of grief and the needs of students in academics and their overall well being.

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The Cooper Foundation Strategic Plan

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A Note from the Founder... My story begins with the unexpected death of my youngest son. He was an eleven-year-old perfectly healthy beautiful boy. He died in his sleep. That was the day, our lives changed forever. Hurricane Rita threatened to hit Houston resulting in school closures. My husband and I left for work early and decided to let our two boys sleep in and enjoy their day off from school. We received the call from my teenage son saying hysterically that he had found his little brother dead and the paramedics were on the way. Nothing could be done; he had been gone for hours. When my son returned to Junior High the next week, we met with the school counselor to explain the circumstances and find some kind of help for my grief stricken son. The only thing she could offer was the use of her office if he needed to find a "quiet place" at school. His algebra teacher gave him a test the first day back at school from losing his brother. They really didn't know what to say or do. Confused, isolated and heartbroken, my family is grieving. I especially worried about my surviving teenage son. I started to search for a way to support my son. I found very few resources. The Cooper Foundation was created to provide the support that is desperately needed for grieving kids at the worst time in their lives. Belinda Denman

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