THE AWAKENING GRACE FOUNDATION
OUR STORY
ABOUT AWAKENING GRACE
Our mission is to encourage families enduring the loss of a child during pregnancy or infancy to grieve bravely, heal gently, and remember boldly. We do this by supporting families during or after their loss with custom burial garments for all gestations and care packages to offer comfort. Our care packages contain snacks, comfort items for both parents and any siblings in the home, and memorial items including a bear handmade from a wedding dress. Awakening Grace also acts as a resource center for families, providing them with information including, but not limited to, support groups, books that may assist in the grieving process, remembrance ideas, and funeral expense assistance information when needed.
HOW WE STARTED
2015
The Awakening Grace Foundation, better known as Awakening Grace, is a nonprofit organization formed in April of 2015. The name Awakening Grace comes from the two boys who inspired its creation, Shane Michael Kleyer and Aiden Robert Elliott. Aiden means “little fiery one”, fire meaning “to awaken”. Shane means “Gift of God, gift of grace.” With the passing of our boys, Awakening Grace was born. The meaning of “awakening grace” is to educate the public on the grieving an entire family endures during the loss of a child during this stage of life. It asks that society bestow compassion and understanding upon those families. It also asks that families bestow that same compassion and understanding upon themselves.
To provide validation and support during this loss, the faces of Awakening Grace, Nikita Kleyer and Roslyn Punt established 3 main goals: To provide care packages to families in the midst of loss and to families who have experienced a past loss, to act as a resource center for those needing answers or direction, and to provide a safe community for families to talk about their journey through grief, healing, and remembrance. It has been said by those “seasoned” in the grieving process, “Grief doesn’t end, it just changes.” Awakening Grace wants to spread that message to the families we serve and the communities they live in.
GETTING AN OFFICE
2018
​​At the start of Awakening Grace in 2015, we solely operated out of an extra bedroom in Nikita’s basement. On October 6, 2018, Awakening Grace opened their first official office space in downtown Orange City, Iowa. Nikita and Roslyn opened the doors at 111 2nd St NE.
EXPANDING TO CENTRAL IA WITH AN ADDITIONAL DIRECTOR
2019
On April 15, 2019, we were able to add another location in Central Iowa. Amber serves families at local hospitals and clinics, and also meets families in their home and her home.
NEW DIRECTOR JOINS THE TEAM AT AWAKENING GRACE
2021
On May 2, 2021, Vanessa Harig was honored to accept the role of operations director in the Orange City office.
OPENING OUR SHELDON OFFICE
2023
As the need for our physical supports has increased significantly in recent years, we realize how important the need for additional space has become. On September 1, 2023, Awakening Grace opened our office doors for our Sheldon, Iowa office. Vanessa Harig was promoted to Northwest Iowa Operations Director as she serves not only those locally in Orange City and Sheldon, but all of northwest Iowa. Our Sheldon office also serves as the location in which we package and ship all Arrows of Hope care packages.
