Meet Erin Drez, Mom to Caroline (17) and Tyler (12), and Co-Founder of Two Small Coins, a “boots on the ground” Non-Profit Organization for grieving widows, widowers and their children, serving men and women of all ages “because we believe in the power of grieving in community and of inter-generational care”. Erin and her family reside in Peachtree City and in our Q&A below, she shares why Two Small Coins was created along with all the ways (including events, table talks, etc.) their organization helps move Widows and their families from “Surviving to Thriving”!
Q&A
What is your background? Tell us about your career?
I have had a varied background with what feels like several different career seasons throughout my life. I am originally from Texas and have a degree in Art and Psychology from Baylor University. In 2002 I got married and my husband and I moved to Pasadena, CA where my husband attended Fuller Seminary. During my time there I worked in the school of psychology and started building a career as a visual artist (mostly painting) and moved in the direction of Creative Coaching, later adding a specialty for Leadership and Spiritual Coaching. I ran workshops and worked with clients on building their creative careers, growing in their faith and becoming leaders in their communities, workplace and beyond. We moved to Colorado in 2015 where I continued Coaching and pursuing creative endeavors. I began working with churches and womens groups in developing prayer practices through creative activities like painting, drawing, collage, etc. For me, art and faith collide in the most beautiful ways and they spur one another on.
What called you to start Two Small Coins?
My husband died in March of 2019 from a heart attack. It was the shock of my lifetime. He was 42, I was 38 and our children were 5 and 10 at the time. We remained in Colorado for a year and decided to relocate to Peachtree City.
My experience of being widowed at a young age was that it was very isolating and there was not any support for younger widows or their kids. I began meeting some other young widows in our community and soon discovered that we were all feeling the same way. So my co-founder, Jill and I started dreaming about what we could do to change that. We both felt called by God to help. Neither of us felt like we had the bandwidth but we knew God was calling us to something deeper, something greater. Two Small Coins was born.
Please share how Two Small Coins helps grieving Widows.
At Two Small Coins, our desire is to be “boots on the ground” for grieving widows, widowers and their children. We serve men and women of all ages because we believe in the power of grieving in community and of inter-generational care. We all learn from each other.
Our mission statement: To bring hope and healing to widows, widowers and their families. To help them move from Surviving to Thriving: mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Some of the ways we do this…
Special events (Galentines, Mothers Day, Friendsgiving) to create community, grow friendships and provide loving support during some of the harder holidays.
Table Talks – dinners where we come together and discuss areas of our life that are hard and provide resources, help and guidance on those topics. We bring in experts to help us learn, grow and heal.
Mentorship – we provide one-on-one and small group mentorship to our newer widows who need more support figuring out how to move forward.
We work closely with other non-profit organizations in Fayette/Cowetta county to help our people if they are struggling with food insecurity, mental health, housing needs, etc.
At Christmas, we provide Christmas Stockings to widows and widowers. This year we sent 350+ stockings to be opened on Christmas morning!
What is the best thing about running Non-Profit?
For me, the best thing is knowing that these men and women don’t have to walk this grief road alone. I also love seeing the friendships being built between families who are walking the same road.
The death of a spouse is one of the most stressful events that happens in a persons life. Some of the statistics:
- Approximately 2,800 women become widows every day in the United States – the average age is 56. – that is over 1 million per year
- Approximately 1,200 children lose a parent every day in the United States before the age of 18. – that is over 400,000 children per year
- Mortality Risk: A meta-analysis found a 41% increased risk of death for recently bereaved spouses within the first 6 months, independent of age and gender.
- Health Consequences: Increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), cancer, and immune-related illnesses due to elevated stress hormones like cortisol.
- Mental Health: Approximately 40% of spouses experience significant depression, with higher risks for those with intense grief symptoms.
What is your best “working mom” tip?
My best tip is creating the boundaries you need around work, play, family, etc. so that you can be as present as possible in whichever situation you are in. That has gotten much easier as my kids have gotten older, so be gracious with yourself. The “to-do” list is like laundry, it will never end….so try to just focus on what is in front of you and know that there will be time for the rest.
What is your favorite “mom hack”?
My bedtime! I don’t know if it’s a “hack”….but the kids know, if it’s past 9:30, Mom is done. She will be in her bed reading – available for hugs or quick questions…but all important matters, long talks, drama, etc must be handled before Mom’s bedtime. I protect my downtime like a crazy person.
What do you love about Peachtree City and the surrounding areas?
I have lived in 4 states and multiple cities – what I love most about this area is the size of the community. I love running into people I know on a regular basis and how supportive the community has been of Two Small Coins and my family in general.
What TV show are you loving right now? Book? Movie? Podcast?
TV – Lincoln Lawyer, Bridgerton, Shrinking
Book – The Last Thing He Told Me
Podcast – Everything Happens with Kate Bowler, On Purpose with Jay Shetty, Good Hang with Amy Pohler
Is there anything else you would like to share with our Moms?
Being a Mom is hard. A married mom, a single mom, a solo mom, a mom of adults. All of it is hard because raising tiny humans is hard. We need each other. And if you know a grieving person in your community – just show up! even if you don’t know what to say or what to do. It always feels good to know someone was thinking about you. AND, even more importantly, talk about their person! Share memories or if you didn’t know them, ask for your friend to tell you about them. What were they like? What made them laugh? What drove you crazy about them? This helps keep their person alive. And don’t be afraid to ask the kids! When you lose someone close to you, the BEST gift is for people to still want to know them. That means they still matter!
To find out more about Two Small Coins, visit www.twosmallcoins.net.
