As Mother’s Day approaches, many families prepare to celebrate with flowers, cards, and gatherings. For mothers who have lost an infant, however, the holiday can be a painful memory of absence.
The Finley Project, a national nonprofit based in Winter Park, is working to change that feeling. The organization provides what is described as the country’s only holistic, seven-step program designed specifically to guide mothers through the immediate and long-term realities of infant loss.
Founded in 2014 by Noelle Moore, the organization grew out of personal tragedy. Moore lost her newborn daughter, Finley Elizabeth, after complications during birth. When she returned from the hospital, she encountered a critical gap in the end of medical care, but no clear map for navigating the grief and the practical tasks post-birth.
Drawing on her background in ministry and nonprofit leadership, Moore created The Finley Project to provide the kind of comprehensive support she found missing.
At the center of the organization is its seven-part holistic program, which delivers coordinated services valued between $1,500 and $1,800 per mother at no cost to families. The program includes:
- Funeral planning, including assistance with decisions involving arranging the child’s funeral.
- Meals support, including grocery gift cards or meal deliveries
- Professional house cleaning
- Massage therapy
- Support group placement with local communities of grieving mothers
- Licensed mental health counseling
- Volunteer support coordination
As Mother’s Day nears, that mission takes on added urgency. The holiday can intensify feelings of grief and isolation for mothers.
The Finley Project has expanded beyond Central Florida, serving mothers in more than 18 states and internationally. Its additional programs include “Forever Loved Kits,” distributed in hospitals immediately after a loss, and “Live Again Retreats,” which offer opportunities for healing through shared experiences. The organization also runs a Father’s Program to support men who may experience grief differently and often with fewer resources.
In addition to direct services, the nonprofit advocates for improved maternal care, including the expansion of OB hospitalist programs aimed at enhancing childbirth safety.
For many mothers facing a holiday centered on motherhood without their child, The Finley Project offers a tangible path forward during a difficult time.
