Some organizations don't just serve - they show up, stay, and refuse to let families walk through grief alone.
At Abide and Grace, remembrance has always been at the heart of what I do. A few times each year, I'll be shining a light on ministries I deeply respect - ones walking alongside families through miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss, and infertility with compassion and faith.
Welcome to the first post in that series: Grace in Action.
Support for Families After Pregnancy and Infant Loss
Out of the Ashes Foundation serves families walking through miscarriage, stillbirth, infant loss, and infertility - primarily in the Charlotte area, but their reach extends well beyond that through their programs and resources.
Out of the Ashes was founded by Theo and Brittany Facinoli after the stillbirth of their daughter, Hannah Kathleen, in October 2019. Out of their own grief, they built something that would make sure no family had to walk that road alone. You can read Hannah's full story here.
Many people first hear about them through their annual 5K & Remembrance Walk, where families gather to honor their babies and be surrounded by others who truly understand.
And yes - it's beautiful.
But what they do every other day of the year matters just as much.
Real, Ongoing Support. Not Just One Day
Out of the Ashes is built around showing up consistently for families - not just during a single event or season. Because grief doesn't end after a service. And healing doesn't happen all at once.
They provide:
- Medical Bill Relief - helping families facing unexpected costs after pregnancy or infant loss breathe a little easier
- Memorial Grants - families can name a grant in memory of their child, so that when another grieving family receives relief, they learn the name and story of the baby it was named for. Grief meeting grief, and a little one's name living on in someone else's healing.
- Care Packs - hand-delivered to parents in their earliest, hardest days, filled with grief resources, books, and comfort items curated with so much thoughtfulness and love
- Hope Boxes - offered to those walking the long road of infertility, tucked full of faith-filled resources to remind them they are not forgotten
- Mentorship Programs - connecting grieving parents with someone who has walked a similar road and made it through
- Christ-Centered Community Groups - where families can gather, process, and be held month after month
- Bereaved Mother's Day & Father's Day gifts - reaching grieving parents not only locally but across the country, on days that can feel especially heavy
This past year alone, that showed up as 205 care packs sent to newly bereaved parents, 26 families gathering monthly in community groups, and $56,499 in medical bill relief extended to 25 families. Those aren't program descriptions - those are people who didn't have to face the worst days alone.
Remembering Babies in Meaningful Ways
One of the most powerful parts of their ministry is how they honor each baby's life.
At their annual walk, families write their babies' names on small clay circles and hang them on a beautiful Wall of Remembrance that reads: "Out of the ashes, beauty will rise."
And those names don't just live at the walk. Out of the Ashes keeps a living Wall of Remembrance on their website - where each baby has a name, a photo, and a story of their own. You can visit it and meet them here.
Through remembrance events, ongoing outreach, and personal touches throughout the year, they make sure these babies are seen, named, and remembered. They acknowledge mothers. They acknowledge fathers. They acknowledge the babies - not as a moment, but as lives that mattered.
Close to My Heart
I believe with my whole heart that God sees every baby, every mother, every father, every broken moment of grief - and that He calls us to see one another too. Out of the Ashes lives that out in the most tangible, faithful way.
Last Mother's Day, I got to see that up close. I partnered with them to create custom remembrance artwork for families they serve - placing names, ultrasounds, and tiny details into watercolor for people walking some of their hardest days. That work felt sacred.
That word still feels right.
This year, I'm partnering with them again. As part of their Bereaved Mother's Day program, families can sign up through Out of the Ashes and choose one of my remembrance pieces as their gift - and I'll create something just for them. What they do deserves to be known, and I'm so honored to be a small part of it.
How You Can Support Families Experiencing Loss
If you're local to Charlotte, I'd love for you to join one of their events - including the 5K & Remembrance Walk. You can see everything coming up on their calendar here.
If you're not local, you can still be part of this. Whether through a donation, sponsoring a care package, or helping fund medical bill relief for a family in need - your support reaches people on some of their hardest days. You can donate directly here.
You can also shop their Amazon Wishlist to directly provide items for Care Packs and Hope Boxes - it's one of the most tangible ways to put something into the hands of a grieving family.
These babies are remembered. These families are not alone. And that is worth everything. 🤍
With love and grace,
Kel
Abide & Grace
Abiding in love. Creating through grace.