History

Julia Roberta March
April 15, 1924 - April 18, 2006

A Model for Compassion

Roberta’s House was founded in June of 2007 in memory of the late Julia Roberta March, by her children. Julia Roberta March, was the matriarch and co-founder of the March Funeral Homes in Baltimore, Maryland. She and her husband, William C. March were successful business owners that began in 1957 and was well known for their compassion and giving spirit. Thousands of families were served out of their small row- house funeral home because of their commitment to providing dignified, affordable services to low income families.

Their small mom and pop business grew remarkably to become one of the largest African American, family owned and operated funeral services in the country.  Under the leadership of the second and third generation, the funeral establishments have expanded in Baltimore, Prince Georges County, Washington, D.C. and Richmond, VA. and operates one of the largest African American cemeteries in the country, King Memorial Park in Randalstown, Maryland.

Site for New Center to be Constructed

Julia Roberta March, known as the heart of the business, counseled and comforted many who were bereaved. Her character and reputation for compassion was the model for providing sensitive death care and her legacy continues in the countless testimonies of the many families served. For her children, it was only fitting that a Bereavement Center be established to continue her spirit of healing and bear her name, Roberta’s House. 

Giving Back to the Community

Bereavement care is not new to the March Family establishments.  Free bereavement care has been an outreach of the March Funeral Homes’ since 1982. The March Family and Annette R. March-Grier, R.N., a bereavement facilitator, recognized a greater need to extend the support services to meet the needs of a broader community. Baltimore ranks the second most murderous city in the country. With a population of over 600,000, the city lacks the necessary resources to address the resulting emotional damage of unresolved grief. Unfortunately, children who have loss loved ones to homicide and suffer the trauma of an unexpected death go unnoticed and become secondary victims to crime.  Providing a safe place for healing and restoring children and families to wholeness became a mission for the March Family.   

A NonProfit Organization Established

Roberta’s House Inc., is an expansion of the existing bereavement program of the March Family Funeral Service into a 501(c) 3, community-based nonprofit corporation to better serve Baltimore children and families. Roberta’s House offers a comprehensive bereavement support program for healing the “hearts and minds” of children and their families emotionally, physically and spiritually. The program is governed by a board of directors and counseled by an advisory board, which provides linkages to a network of health providers and volunteers.  Through peer and non-clinical support, education, empowerment, and community awareness, Roberta’s House offers free programs and services to low-income, school-age children and teens together with their families. The service is particularly focused on those who have experienced the death of a loved one; those who have family or friends that have been victims of homicide; those living in high crime areas of Baltimore as well as those under the supervision of juvenile correctional services.  Counseling programs are designed to restore children and their families to a place of wholeness and provide support as they experience grieving the death of a family member, friend or significant person.   

Future Rendition

Roberta’s House has received support from federal grants and foundations to develop and conduct community programs to address the unresolved grief of children which can and often leads to violence later in their life. The children’s program, implemented in January of 2009, offers free peer support programs for school age children and their families year round. .   

Roberta’s House has over 60 trained volunteers and professional staff that carry out the center’s mission and work to build a safe environment for grieving families.  The March family, with the help of numerous community leaders and health care providers, are spearheading a $3 million capital campaign to build a state of the art center that will support their programs with art activity rooms, a library resource center, theatre, fitness room, an expression room and family counseling rooms.  The center will be constructed on the site of the landmark row houses where the first March Funeral Home was established in 1957, a place where thousands of Baltimoreans memorialized their loved ones and a community shared its sacred memories to support each other.  (See attached architectural design)

Support Staff

Roberta's House employs administrative staff, and a volunteer coordinator and contracts professional licensed social workers to manage programs for children and their families and specific focus groups around loss.  The Interim Executive Director has conducted bereavement support groups for more than twenty-six years of experience serving and meeting the  needs of the bereaved in Baltimore.  Staff members hold professional memberships with professional associations that support their training, development and utilization of best practices. Professional staff are members of the national Association of Death Education of Counselors.

Annette R. March-Grier, R.N., President/Executive Director 

As the Acting Executive Director of Roberta’s House, she works tirelessly to increase the community’s knowledge of children’s grief and establishes relationships with foundations, social agencies and other mental health providers.  She networks to expand their services to families in need.  Annette received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Delaware in 1982 and worked for Johns Hopkins Hospital until 1985 when she joined her family business, March Funeral Homes.  She attended Catonsville Community College and obtained an Associate Degree in Mortuary Science. In 2001, she was certified as a funeral service practitioner through the Academy of Professional Funeral Services.  Annette founded the Roberta’s House Family Grief Support Center and is a bereavement counselor.  She has facilitated bereavement programs for 26 years.  She has presents numerous workshops on grief, stress, and holistic healing in various churches, schools, community centers as well as hospitals.  She presents and organizes annual holiday bereavement seminars and training workshops. Currently, Annette along with the March Family is the leading force to build a dedicated family grief support center in Baltimore City.  Roberta’s House will provide a confidential setting to facilitate the emotional, physical and spiritual healing for grieving children and their families where grief can be expressed and experienced safely. She is member of the Association of Death Educators & Counselors, Trustee of Sheppard Pratt Hospital, A member of the Harbor City Chapter of Links Inc. and many other professional associations. 

Kelli Tucker, Volunteer Coordinator 

Kelli R. Tucker is the Volunteer Recruiter/Coordinator for Roberta’s House Family Grief Support Center. Roberta's House currently has over 100 volunteers of which 65 are very active in programs.  Kelli has over seven years of Human Services experience. She has worked primarily with Families and Children providing a variety of services from Childcare to Case Management Services to homeless families.As Volunteer Coordinator for Roberta's House she recruits and assist with the training of volunteers. 

 Her most important role is to assure staff all of the programs at Roberta's House with dedicated volunteers. Her jovial personality and warm spirit encourages the wonderful support that Roberta's House receives from its volunteers.   She also develops appreciation activities and awards for outstanding volunteers annually.  Kelli also organizes community exhibits and outreach programs to increase the community awareness of grieving children.  

Donna Rice, LGSW, Project Manager, Family Programs 

Kim V. Holmes, LCSW-C, Program Manager, Homicide Survivors Transformation Project

Kim has more than 20 years of of experience as a social worker and is currently employed full time as the Director of the Baltimore City States Attorney's Office , Family Bereavement Center.  She provides therapy/crisis counseling to both children an adults who have lost a loved one to homicide. Asside from her full time position, Ms. Holmes is the Program Manager  for Roberta's House Homicide Transformation Project and coordinates and facilitates group and family counseling sessions. 

Darnelle C. Baylor, MS Ed, Rehabilitation, Program Manager, "Changing The Game"

Darnelle has been a Mental Health Counselor for more than ten years and has years experience with individuals who have been incarcerated, convicted sustance abusers, individuals in recovery and juvenile deliquents. He has experience with supervising mentor programs, developing and facilitating prevention groups and job placement programs.  Darnelle facilitates and assist in the development of the DJS programs for youth 14-17 years of age with Roberta's House.   

Michael Jemmott, MS Ed,

Funders

• Roberta's House Board of Directors
• The March Family (2008-2012)
• Jones & Associates Law Firm
• CareFirst Blue Cross Blue Shield (2009 & 2011)
• Gilchrist Hospice Foundation
• Hope II (Helping Outreach Programs Expand) Office for Victims of Crime & Maryland Crime Victims Resource Center, Inc.
• The Lois & Phillip Macht Foundation (2010 & 2011)
• Marguerite Casey Foundation (2010 & 2011)
• SAMHA Substance Abuse Mental Health Association
• The Moyer Foundation (2010-2020)
• WBAL Kids Campaign
• York Children’s Foundation (2010 & 2011)
• Baltimore City Association of School Psychologists
• Governor's Office of Crime Control and the Maryland Victims of Crime Fund
• Department of Family Administration, Adminstrative Office of the Courts, Maryland Judiciary
• The Jacob and Hilda Blaustein Foundation Inc.
• Zanvyl and Isabelle Krieger Fund (2012)
• Black Mental Health Alliance
• Sunshine Angels Foundation
• PNC Bank
• Shapiro Foundation
• New York Life Foundation
• Harbor City Chapter, Links Inc.
• The Modern Granny's
• Baltimore City Religious Community & Church Supporters
• BethEl Temple

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