Inspiring Conversations with Stephanie Pauley of EP7 Youth Outreach

Today we’d like to introduce you to Stephanie Pauley.  

Hi Stephanie, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
On a snowy night in January 2016, my 18-year-old son Ethan was on a sled being pulled by atv driven by his high school friends. They proceeded to drive the back roads into our small town to meet a large group of friends at the school to go sledding. They stopped at an intersection when a drunk driver ran the stoplight and hit the sled killing him instantly. The community of Wheelersburg and surrounding areas immediately responded by providing for all our needs and comforted us with their support. There were approximately 1400 visitors from various states who attended his wake at Wheelersburg High School. 

Motivated by the scarcity of resources in the area, particularly for youth and adolescents, I made the decision to establish my own nonprofit organization. The process of building a grief support system for fellow community members proved to be a deeply therapeutic experience. 

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Occasionally, while managing a small non-profit organization focused on supporting individuals experiencing grief, I discovered that prioritizing my own personal grieving process became challenging. 

Over the course of several years, we have been fortunate to have a multitude of volunteers join our cause. However, finding long-term, dedicated volunteers who would reliably fulfill assigned tasks proved to be another challenging endeavor. 

Another struggle I have faced in growing a small nonprofit is the necessity of being a versatile and multi-skilled individual, having to handle various roles and responsibilities. 

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about EP7 Youth Outreach?
EP7 Youth Outreach was created to fulfill the need for grief education and services. It is our mission to provide opportunities for our youth and their families to grieve and express their grief through healthy outlets we offer through our services. 

The Outreach offers personalized and thoughtfully crafted care packages for grief healing, as well as grief cards. We call these Graceful Healing or SONshine Boxes. Additionally, we organize an enriching grief camp centered around animals and arts, maintain a dedicated grief resource library section in the public library, provide scholarships for college and skilled trades, established an emergency fund to assist in covering funeral expenses for children or teenagers, provide community education on grief, and facilitate grief support groups. 

Camp E’nCOURAGE, our distinctive grief camp, implements a one-of-a-kind approach by incorporating the therapeutic presence of horses and goats into various activities aimed at enhancing coping mechanisms and fostering resiliency skills. 

The services we provide to the communities we serve, including Southern Ohio, Eastern Kentucky, Western West Virginia, and Eastern North Carolina, are free thanks to the donations from our dedicated supporters. 

So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
My utmost priority lies in serving others with the same love, compassion, and solace that the Lord bestowed upon me and my family during the unimaginably difficult time of losing my son. Furthermore, I aim to utilize my God-given talents, skills, and abilities to bring grief assistance to communities in need. By pursuing this path, I experience a profound sense of fulfillment as I embrace the higher calling and purpose that has been bestowed upon me. 

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ep7youth.org
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/Ep7Youthoutreach
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/ep7youthoutreach
• Twitter: twitter.com/Ep7Youth
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/@ep7youthoutreach453/