Erin's House Volunteers
Erin and Jacob Koehl are not just partners in life—they’re partners in giving back. As a married couple, they volunteer as facilitators, offering support and guidance to Erin’s House families navigating a death.
Jacob was 13 when his mother died after a long struggle with a terminal autoimmune illness. His childhood was spent knowing the inevitable was coming, and after her death, he felt alone in his grief. He briefly sought out grief counseling but admitted it wasn’t the right time for him. “I just wanted to move on from being the kid with the dead mom,” he said. Instead, Jacob bottled up his emotions and focused on helping care for his younger brothers.
Erin's great-grandfather, Poppa, passed away in March 2020. At 22 years old, Erin was away at college, adjusting to the uncertainty of the early pandemic. She vividly remembers the heartbreaking phone call from her brother delivering the news. Torn between her studies and the desire to be with family, she struggled with guilt for not being there. Over time, she found peace knowing Poppa would have wanted her to finish school and step into her new career. Contrary to Jacob, Erin believes that having grief support right away could have made all the difference. “I threw myself into staying busy, thinking it would help, but it only made things harder. A support group would have provided me the emotional support and community I needed during that time.”
A few years ago, Erin and Jacob felt eager to get involved locally and were drawn to volunteering at Erin’s House. For Jacob, it was a chance to support kids who, like him, felt alone in their experience at that age. For Erin, volunteering was a way to offer the kind of peer connection she had longed for.
Erin now leads an adult group, where she feels best equipped to offer her own perspective as support, while Jacob leads a teen group—the same age he was when he experienced grief—allowing him to connect with them on a deeper level. “Seeing children excited for their own personal development in their grief makes me so happy,” Jacob shared. “I am there to be the adult that I didn’t have when I was their age.”
Together, volunteering has been a very rewarding experience for the couple. “Hearing the parents share stories about the incredible progress their children have made throughout the 10-week program is one of the most meaningful parts and why I do it,” Erin said. “It’s not just a reflection of the work the kids are putting in, but also the support, care, and dedication that Erin’s House provides to help them heal.”
“Being there for these families, listening to their stories, and letting them know they’re not alone—it’s been one of the most rewarding things we’ve ever done.” - Erin & Jacob Koehl
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