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Parent Care
Parent Care is WPRP’s most personalized level of support for widowed parents.
Support that walks right beside you
Through consistent relationship, practical help, financial support opportunities, and compassionate guidance, we walk alongside families as they navigate life after loss in ways that feel meaningful and supportive to them.
Care That Meets Families Where They Are
Parent Care is WPRP’s personalized level of support designed to walk beside widowed parents during a difficult time of adjustment and rebuilding.
Each family is paired with a trained Family Friend who provides consistent connection, encouragement, advocacy, and practical support throughout the program.
Support is thoughtfully tailored to each family’s unique needs, strengths, and circumstances. Depending on the family, support may include volunteer assistance, home services, self-care or counseling stipends, extracurricular or school-related support, and other forms of practical relief designed to reduce stress and strengthen the family over time.
Some parents utilize many available support opportunities, while others simply value having a trusted person walking beside them. Parent Care is designed to meet families where they are.
Benefits of parent care
What Parent Care Includes
Parents are always in control of the support they receive. Parent Care is designed to adapt to what feels most helpful for each family, recognizing that needs look different from one parent to the next and can change over time.
- A dedicated Family Friend who checks in regularly and helps coordinate support
- Personalized assistance designed to reduce everyday stressors
- Optional support services may include home cleaning, organization support, counseling or self-care stipends, school supply or extracurricular assistance, and volunteer support
- Flexible support tailored to each family’s unique needs and circumstances
What your Family Friend provides
A friend who has your back
Your Family Friend is a steady companion who walks beside you as you navigate grief, parenting, and everyday life.
Someone who shows up consistently
Family Friends check in regularly, offer encouragement, help families navigate local resources, and provide ongoing support throughout the program.
A bridge to additional support
Family Friends help connect parents with trusted businesses, volunteers, resources, and practical support that can help reduce stress and strengthen long-term support systems.
Who Parent Care Is For
- Widowed parents with dependent children through high school age living in the home
- Families within the first three years of loss
- Parents seeking additional personalized support and connection
- Families located in regions where Parent Care services are available
Completion of a short application and onboarding process
Questions you might have
Fill out our online application or call us at (865) 888-7274. We'll schedule a time to talk about your needs and begin the matching process. There's no cost and no obligation.
Parent Care currently supports widowed parents in Knoxville and Knox County, with plans to expand to Grainger, Jefferson, Blount, Anderson, Sevier, Loudon, and Union counties across East Tennessee
We carefully match based on your specific needs, location, personality, and what kind of support would be most helpful for your family. We want to make sure it's a good fit for both you and your Family Friend.
Your Family Friend will do their best to help directly or connect you with someone who can. We also have a network of volunteers and resources to support needs beyond what one person can provide.
Family Friends commit to at least one year, but many relationships continue much longer. Some families and Family Friends stay connected for years, becoming lifelong friends.
Every family's needs are different and we have volunteers who desire to help with all different kinds of skillsets. Your Family Friend can assist you in making a request; typical volunteer support includes minor home projects, landscaping, basic home repairs, referrals to trusted businesses or financial or legal professionals, and much more. If we can't meet a specific need directly, we'll do our best to connect you with community resources or partners who may be able to help.
No. Parent Care is available to widowed parents who are within the first three years of their loss and have dependent children at home.
That's completely normal. Many widowed parents struggle with asking for help - we get it. Your Family Friend is trained to help you identify needs and make asking for support feel less overwhelming.
While WPRP was founded on Christian values and many of our Family Friends share a Christian faith, we welcome widowed parents of all backgrounds. You'll never be pressured about faith matters.
I am ever thankful!
WPRP has helped me to realize that I am not alone as a young widow with children and that there are lots of people who want to help care for widows. God has been present and working through so many in the WPRP, and I am ever thankful!
DeeDee, WPRP Mom
The self-care stipend is so necessary and let me have some time to breathe and grieve.
WPRP has made a huge impact on my quality of life while I am trying to pick up the pieces after my husband suddenly passed.
The cleaning and organizing services helped me immensely. The self-care stipend is so necessary and let me have some time to breathe and grieve.
Stephanie, WPRP Mom
