History

The evolution of the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing is a wonderful story, one that — after 30 years — is still very much in progress! In 1975, the Reverend William A. Wendt ("Bill") and the Reverend Robert D. Herzog founded the St. Francis Burial and Counseling Society, a unique program that provided low cost, dignified alternatives to the more expensive practices of the funeral industry. The St. Francis Burial and Counseling Society made and sold coffins — not only to families of the deceased, but to healthy people who wanted to plan for their own deaths. The Society believed in the importance of preparing for and anticipating death - and produced affordable coffins designed to serve multiple purposes: some held blankets or linens; others included shelves for a wine rack! This unconventional use for what many consider an uncomfortable and frightening symbol of death helped alleviate some of the associated fear. The theory was that as people became used to acknowledging the inevitability of death — having coffins around helped achieve this — then dying and mourning a loved one would become more approachable and less isolating topics.

During this time Bill took a sabbatical from ministry and devoted himself fulltime to the study of thanatology and the development of the Center. In November of 1977, the Society broadened its scope to offer counseling related to life-threatening illness and bereavement. As such, the Society became incorporated and changed its name to the St. Francis Institute and then again in 1980 it officially became the St. Francis Center (SFC). At the time, SFC was the only place in the DC metropolitan area specializing in death, dying and grief counseling.

Word quickly spread of the St. Francis Center and the unique services being providing to the DC community. People reached out to Bill, looking for opportunities to support his efforts. This outpouring of encouragement led to the Center’s first Volunteer Program. Initially, volunteers helped in the office, answering phones, etc.; soon, however, volunteers began visiting clients who were dying and in need of companionship. In 1983, we were the first agency in the area to address the mental health issues affecting people living with HIV/AIDS. As a result, in 1986, SFC partnered with neighbors at the Community of Hagar in a shared effort to support loved ones of people dying from the new AIDS epidemic. Soon after, the two programs united creating the St. Francis Center’s Friends Program.

In 1992, the Center launched its Children’s Program, catering to the specific needs of grieving children and teens. The success of this led to the development of SFC’s School-Based Grief Group Program in 1997, in which clinicians provided on-site counseling to DC public school children and youth. The Center offered individual and group services at the main office and then expanded services to include another important children’s program: Camp Starfish. Now called Camp Forget-Me-Not, the Center’s free weekend camp for children and teenagers grieving the death of a loved one has provided 50 children and over 70 volunteers a special setting to share their grief experience and find hope.

The Saint Francis Center continued is journey of growth and officially became the William Wendt Center for Loss and Healing in 1999, honoring Bill and his mission. It was during this time that the Wendt Center, in a unique collaboration with the DC Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, developed and implemented its Recover Program to serve those who must go to the morgue to identify a deceased loved one. Since the inception of Recover, Wendt Center clinicians have been available seven days a week to assist families who are grieving the sudden and often traumatic "death of a loved one." What a unique opportunity to support those most in need! This program model has gained national recognition and continues to be the only such program in the country.

With the expansion of our outreach to clients throughout the city, the Wendt Center provides two convenient locations. In northwest DC, 4201 Connecticut Avenue, NW Suite 300; and in southeast DC, 2041 Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, SE, Suite 236

The year 2005 marked the 30th anniversary of the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing. Our community is a vastly different place today than it was when we first opened our doors… Yet as time has passed, our mission has evolved — deepened — and we are doing more than ever before.

Today, our Recover Program is solidly in place, and we remain one of the only organizations in the country providing immediate intervention, comfort and support on-site at the morgue by licensed mental health providers.

What began more than 32 years ago as a few supporters who wanted to "help out" has transitioned into a thriving and committed Volunteer Program that today includes nearly 200 people who dedicate their time and compassion to our programs, including Camp Forget-Me-Not, adult, teen and children’s grief support groups, school-based grief groups, and fundraising (including our annual Benefit). The Wendt Center would not be where it is today without our volunteers… Their dedication remains as vital today as it was then, and we are forever grateful to the many friends who unselfishly give their time and energy.

Throughout the years, the Wendt Center has employed some of the most gifted and compassionate therapists in the field of trauma, grief and loss. Subsequently, requests for our clinical staff to conduct training led to the development of our Training and Education Program. This has become an important program as it enables us to serve hundreds with our direct-care services, and thousands indirectly through our trainings. The Center provides 50+ trainings annually, to over 1000 mental health, school, law enforcement, first response professionals and work settings coping with an employee death or trauma, among many, many others. Crises response interventions are another area of expertise for us — this work varies, and can include working with city officials to prepare for a possible mass fatality/traumatic event or providing on-site support to a city school where there has been a shooting or other tragedy.

Our commitment to people diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and their caregivers continues thanks to funding from the Washington Aids Partnership and Ryan White Title I. This work is carried out in partnership with the Montgomery Country Health Department to provide counseling services to people living with HIV/AIDS. We also address staff morale concerns and provide counseling and in-service education services to the clinical staff who are working with HIV/AIDS patients. While there are many new, promising treatments that enable people with HIV/AIDS to live long, productive lives, living with a chronic illness remains intrinsically stressful for patients and for those providing care.

The Wendt Center is a member of the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN), a collaboration of 54 centers across the country which work together to advance a federal initiative to understand and expand treatment of child traumatic stress. Our work with NCTSN is one example of how the Wendt Center has grown from a local grass-roots non-profit that sold coffins as a method to help people cope with death, into what we are today: a nationally respected, world-class healing organization that provides direct care to adults, children and families, creates treatment models that help others serve, and employs and collaborates with some of the most respected mental health professionals in the field.

From its Church Street beginnings to its current location in downtown DC, the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing has called a number of different locations "home." No matter where the Wendt Center has been located over the years, however, we have always adhered to Bill Wendt’s belief that "no one should have to grieve alone."