Our Story
After the tragic loss of his 11-year-old son Carson, Jason Dyke realized that an organization did not exist to help families navigate the difficult journey from the loss of a loved one to the funeral with the guidance of a live Advocate. His loss, and that of so many others, inspired him to start Carson's Village.
Every year, approximately 8 million people suffer the loss of a family member, facing overwhelming decisions such as finding a funeral home, covering funeral costs without going into debt, and managing their mental health. The lasting impact of this crisis and gap in services is leaving families with long-term, expensive mental health challenges and often unnecessary financial distress.
How Carson's Village Can Help
Carson's Village is a first-of-its-kind nonprofit organization designed to provide support during the difficult times following a loss. Through a trained Carson's Village Advocate with a Master's in Social Work, families receive live assistance:
- Compassionate guidance on funeral arrangements.
- Financial coaching to prevent and reduce debt.
- Mental health service referrals at any sign of distress.
- Access to a library of resources, timelines, and guides in multiple languages on the Carson's Village website.
- Assistance setting up a Family Page to communicate, raise money, and coordinate activities.
- Grief support groups and peer-to-peer support for two years after the loss to help families heal in a healthy way.
Our Impact
Today, Carson's Village is growing rapidly. In addition to our individual support, we now have major partnerships with school districts such as Dallas ISD and Houston ISD as well as large hospital systems including Baylor Scott & White and St. Luke’s in Houston.
To date, Carson's Village has helped over 7,000 families, with nearly 64% from very low-income households and 61% are families of color. Carson's Village also places significant emphasis on expanding Spanish-language support resources to better support underserved communities in the bereavement space.
Our Needs
Carson's Village is growing and needs both volunteers and financial resources to deliver services to families across North Texas. Carson's Village volunteers can help the organization in a number of ways. For more information, visit https://carsonsvillage.org/get-involved/.
Those interested in donating can support the organization with a generous financial gift:
$1,000: Provides training for front-line personnel
Aids us in training staff to provide immediate and continuing grief support
$750 – Sustains Comprehensive Family Support for Two Years
Your generous gift sustains two full years of comprehensive support services for a family, enabling them to find healing and resilience during a challenging journey.
$500 – Funds One-on-One Peer-to-Peer Support
Your donation provides a year of tailored, one-on-one support through our Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Program, empowering a family member with guidance from a trained Villager and compassionate mentorship.
$250 – Connects a Family with a Dedicated Advocate
This donation pairs a family with a dedicated Advocate, offering personalized assistance through the complexities of funeral planning and access to vital Carson’s Village resources.
$150 – Secures Three Months of Group Grief Support
Your contribution provides three months of facilitated group grief support, allowing individuals to navigate their healing journey with the comfort of community and professional guidance.
$50 – Expands Access to Online Grief Resources
Your support helps develop and expand essential online grief resources, giving families reliable guidance and comfort as they face the difficulties of loss.
$25 – Distributes Key Educational Resources to Community Partners
This gift equips schools, hospitals, and professional organizations with vital Carson’s Village materials, empowering them to provide immediate support to families in crisis.
Thank you for your support and commitment to helping families through Carson's Village.