A new center opens in Ocean County aimed at helping parents and family members cope with the unbearable pain of losing a child.

(L-R) Joan Morrissy, Jennifer Amato, Christine Volpe and Karen Zitzow Montenegro, founders of the Center of Peace, Hope & Light in Brick
(L-R) Joan Morrissy, Jennifer Amato, Christine Volpe and Karen Zitzow Montenegro, founders of the Center of Peace, Hope & Light in Brick (Center of Peace, Hope & Light)
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The Center of Hope, Peace and Light in Brick Township is a unique nonprofit bereavement center established by four moms who recently lost their children.

Jennifer Amato, Joan Morrissey, Christine Volpe and Karen Zitzow Montenegro, the four founding partners of the Center met while attending a weekly support group known as "Mothers of Angels."  They say they became acquatinted with the need for the center like this by meeting other families dealing with similar losses.

Montenegro says they get calls every day from moms who say they didn't know where to turn. "Because when you go through traditional therapy ... It doesn't help you cope with you know, looking at a cereal box that's your child's favorite cereal in the grocery store and having a complete break down when another mother who's gone through that experience knows what that's like."

She says the center uses a wide range of traditional and alternative therapies aimed at bringing healing and comfort.

The Center opened its doors in late November offering a calendar of events. Volpe says "on Tuesdays we have our regular support group 'Mothers of Angels', once a month we included the fathers as well but we host events like meditation and Reiki healing circles and we have mediums that come in."

Amato says they're hoping to offer a safe place for people. "Reaching out to other families who've suffered the same loss has been life saving for all of us and being with each other and using the resources that we've come up with really brings you some comfort."

They're hosting a grand opening on  March 21st.

The Center of Hope, Peace & Light is located at 254 Brick Boulevard - Suite 7 in Brick  in the Delmar Office Complex. Their telephone number is (732) 262-5210 or you can get more information from their web page at  hopepeacelight.org

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