News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
A Cookeville family that lost a child in the March 3, 2020 tornado has started a foundation to support families who have lost a child of their own.
Founders Matt and Macy Collins lost their oldest daughter Hattie Jo Collins four years ago Sunday, and now use a three-pronged approach to help families through the Magnolia Foundation. Matt Collins said the foundation offers commemorative care, assists with funeral costs, and facilitates access to grief counseling.
“We know what it’s like to lose a child, and it sucks,” Collins said. “And the idea that you would have to do that alone just is not something that we felt comfortable with people having to experience.”
He said he was in ministry at the time of his daughter’s passing, so the family was embraced by an extensive supporting community. He said every situation is unique, and many do not have access to that degree of care. Collins said in the six months since the foundation was started, they have served families in Tennessee, Kentucky, Florida, and Georgia.
“To be able to walk alongside a family and serve them, for them to know that they’re not by themselves, we just felt that was really important,” Collins said.
He said the foundation has been able to help every family that has asked for it, but they are always looking for funding opportunities so that they can continue to serve every family that crosses their path in need of their support. He said several hospitals have partnered with and helped facilitate growth for the foundation by referring families following the death of a child.
“We just want to help families who have lost kids to the best of our abilities,” Collins said. “As long as we can keep doing it, that’s what we want to do, so my wife and I do this full time.”
He said that when they went through their tragic loss, they had never heard of an organization like this, so they have continued to be inspired to offer their unique, meaningful service to families that are navigating unthinkable tragedy.
