page_title: The Dougy Center
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: The Dougy Center / History
caption_attribution_description: English: The Dougy Center, Portland, Oregon (2013)
context_page_description: The Dougy Center, The National Center for Grieving Children & Families is a nonprofit organization based in Portland, Oregon that offers support groups and services to grieving children and young adults. Its peer support program and network of children's grief services make the organization the first of its kind in the United States. 500 independent programs around the world are based on its model, more than 300 of which have staff who were trained by the organization's staff. The Dougy Center serves 400 children and 250 adults from the Portland metropolitan area each month, free of charge. Its main building is located in the Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood, and its satellite locations in Canby and Hillsboro are called The Dougy Center Walker's House and The Dougy Center Linklater Commons, respectively.
  The organization was founded in 1982 by Beverly Chappell, in tribute to Dougy Turno, who died of a brain tumor at age thirteen. In August 1981, Dougy wrote a letter to Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, a pioneer in near-death studies, on the subject of his own death.
context_section_description: Beverly Chappell founded The Dougy Center in 1982 in tribute to Dougy Turno, who died of a brain tumor at age thirteen. In August 1981, Dougy wrote a letter to psychiatrist and author Elisabeth Kübler-Ross, a pioneer in near-death studies, on the subject of his own death. This prompted Kübler-Ross to connect Chappell with Dougy and his family, and Chappell to create support groups for grieving children. Despite Kübler-Ross' early influence on the organization, The Dougy Center does not subscribe to the Kübler-Ross model (a series of five emotional stages experienced by survivors of an intimate's death: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance) and has even expressed skepticism about the model.
  In June 2009, an unidentified arsonist destroyed the center. According to Schuurman, the center suffered three arson attempts previously: a fire burned the professional building three months prior and was followed by the discovery of a soda can filled with flammable liquid, then the burning down of the center's play structure. Building and content losses were estimated at $750,000. Business and financial records, as well as program materials were lost in the fire. The organization spent a year attempting to recover a "fair" insurance settlement, during which the building remained vacant and was subjected to vandalism (stolen copper pipes resulted in a flooded basement). Deconstruction and demolition of the building began in May 2010, following receipt of a $1.2 million settlement. During the construction of the new center, which began in April 2012, the center operated on Northeast Glisan Street near 22nd Avenue in Northeast Portland and reportedly never cancelled a single support meeting.
  On February 2, 2013, the center hosted a celebration to commemorate the completion and grand opening of its new facility. The 11,750-square-foot building, located at its original site on Southeast 52nd Avenue in Portland's Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood, cost $4.5 million and was designed by Scott Edwards Architecture and built by Bremik Construction. Donations and the insurance settlement supplied seventy percent of the construction costs.
caption: Signage commemorating Dougy Turno; Beverly Chappell founded The Dougy Center in 1982 in his memory.
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