Center for the Heart

12/02/2025

Today on Giving Tuesday, we are reflecting on the quiet, life changing power of compassion.
We just published a new blog that shares why this day matters so deeply for the families we serve, and how your generosity brings comfort, dignity, and connection during life’s most tender moments.
Read the full story on our blog and join us in supporting families across New Jersey - https://www.centerfortheheart.org/blog/a-day-to-give-with-heart-honoring-compassion-this-giving-tuesday .

11/07/2025

💜 Welcome to the Team, Anna! 💜

We’re so excited to officially welcome Anna Adams, our new Director of Doula Services at Center for the Heart!

Anna brings over 25 years of experience in hospice, elder care, and high-acuity care, and a truly compassionate heart for supporting individuals and families through life’s most sacred transition: the end of life.

As a Certified End-of-Life Doula and Educator, Anna has walked alongside thousands of families, helping them navigate this season with dignity, comfort, and peace.

✨ She’s the Founder & Lead Instructor of the International Doula Life Movement, training over 2,000 doulas who now serve communities worldwide.
✨ She’s the Co-Owner of Holistic Home of Compassion in San Antonio — the first of its kind to integrate doulas into personal care homes.
✨ And she’s the Owner of Savior Doula Services, where she provides individualized end-of-life planning and holistic doula care.

At Center for the Heart, Anna will lead with both expertise and empathy, guiding our mission to expand grief-informed and holistic end-of-life support for individuals and families everywhere.

We’re honored to have Anna on our team and can’t wait for the impact she’ll continue to make. 💜

Welcome to the family, Anna! 🤍

10/23/2025

💜 Welcome to the Team! 💜

Please join us in welcoming Elwood (Woody) Hungarter as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Center for the Heart!

Woody brings more than 40 years of experience in nursing, hospice, and healthcare leadership — paired with a deeply compassionate approach to service and care.

As a Registered Nurse and Certified End-of-Life Doula, Woody has devoted his life to supporting patients and families with empathy, dignity, and grace. He holds a Master’s Degree in Organizational Management from Misericordia University and has held leadership roles including:
✨ President, Karen Ann Quinlan Hospice
✨ Division Director, Hospice Joint Ventures – Bayada Hospice
✨ President & CEO, VNA Philadelphia

He is a proud member of the Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing and a past Board Chairman of Easter Seals Eastern Pennsylvania.

At Center for the Heart, Woody will lead with both expertise and heart, guiding our mission to expand grief-informed and end-of-life support for individuals and families. His leadership, compassion, and vision are invaluable as we continue building an organization rooted in care, dignity, and connection.

We are honored and thrilled to have Woody leading our team into this next chapter of impact and growth.
Welcome to the family, Woody! 💜
Elwood Hungarter

10/21/2025

This Saturday, October 25th, we’ll be walking in Ocean City for the South Jersey Shore Alzheimer’s Association Walk and we’d love for you to join us!

This cause is so close to our hearts. Every volunteer, every corporate sponsor, and every organization that stands beside us helps make a difference for families walking through this journey. 💜

Come cheer us on, lend a hand, and help us raise awareness and hope together.
Link in bio to register or volunteer!

10/16/2025

We’re walking with purpose 💜
Join Center for the Heart and the Alzheimer’s Association South Jersey Shore NJ for the Ocean City Walk on Saturday, 10/25/25.
Together, we honor every story, every memory, and every family affected by Alzheimer’s.

✨ Visit the link in our bio to volunteer, walk, or get involved. Let’s make every step count.

10/13/2025

Elvis is actually coming back to the building — to Summit NJ’s Bradley, Brough & Dangler Funeral Home, actually. It all happens on October 22, during an event called Funerals of the Rich & Famous: Legacy & Lattes.

Join us for a lighthearted look at Elvis Presley’s funeral — along with some of his favorite foods (yes, bacon, peanut butter, and bananas!) and lattes. Led by Holly Strelzik, a local death doula and founder of Center for the Heart, this event is about honest conversation around life, legacy, and how we celebrate it.

It’s free, open to the public, and meant to bring our community together. Click here to register on Eventbrite: [https://link.edgepilot.com/s/4c467a25/Zq06HavSOUqxKf7A7lGm1g?u=https://www.eventbrite.com/e/funerals-of-the-rich-famous-legacy-lattes-tickets-1721029448409?aff=BRADLEY]

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Center for the Heart
Goldberg Law Group - NJ Elder Law Center
American Cancer Society

10/03/2025

We’re shaking things up with Elvis! 🎙️☕

On October 22 at 9:00 AM in Summit, NJ, join us for Funerals of the Legacy & Lattes : Funerals of the Rich & Famous, a unique community event hosted by Bradley Funeral Homes, SimpleCremationNJ.com, NJ Elder Law Center Goldberg Law Group , Suncrest Hospice, the American Cancer Society, and Center for the Heart.

Our founder, Holly Strelzik, will lead this session as we explore Elvis Presley’s funeral as a lighthearted way to reflect on life, legacy, and the ways we honor those who’ve passed.

✅ Free & open to the public
✅ Coffee, conversation, and connection included
✅ Opportunity for Q&A and meaningful dialogue
📍 Bradley, Brough & Dangler Funeral Home, Summit NJ

🎟 Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/funerals-of-the-rich-famous-legacy-lattes-tickets-1721029448409?aff=C4TH

Come join us for a unique and lively event where we celebrate the legacies of the rich and famous over lattes and good vibes!

10/03/2025

Over the past three weeks, our Founder, Holly Strelzik, has been honored to join the Compassionate Care Conversations podcast for a special 3-part series on presence, empathy, and ritual in end-of-life care.

✨ In Part 2, Holly shares how ritual can create meaning and bring peace during life’s hardest transitions.
✨ In Part 3, she reflects on “compassionate transformation” and the essential role doulas play in helping families navigate loss with dignity and heart.

We’re deeply grateful to the Compassionate Care Conversations podcast for this opportunity to share our mission and message of hope. 💜

Watch the full series on YouTube and help us spread this important conversation about care, compassion, and community.

09/11/2025

We are with you. You are not alone.

Today, as we reflect on 9/11, we hold space for every heart carrying the weight of loss. Grief is a natural, human response to love, and you deserve compassion and care as you navigate it.

If you or someone you know is grieving, Center for the Heart is here to support you. Together, we can honor the past, embrace healing, and find hope for the future.