The story of The Neighborhood House of Long Island is as homegrown and grassroots as they come. It began around the dining table of two friends and neighbors: Rich D’Andrea, owner and funeral director at Raynor and D’Andrea Funeral Homes, and Michelle Virga, a licensed clinical social worker.

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Both saw firsthand how the suicide and drug overdose epidemic was impacting their community and wanted to support those who were grieving. Michelle, with years of experience in grief and loss, adapted best-practice models from experts across the country to develop programs tailored to Long Island families. Rich leveraged his professional network to build a strong Board of Directors and secure funding for these programs. Together, they founded The Neighborhood House.

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The first “Connections” bereavement group launched in Fall 2013 and continues to provide solace to those in need. Over the years, The Neighborhood House has helped thousands of grieving individuals and remains committed to supporting Long Island families for as long as the need exists.