In 2005 Dolores Mortimer's world changed forever when her son, Timothy, and her nephew, Michael, died in a car accident.

For months afterward, Dolores could barely function, her grief was so profound. But one day, a single thought started a turnaround.

"I said to myself, 'what would I recommend to someone else if they were going through this experience?' and I said, 'do something for someone else,'" Dolores explained.

She then founded the House of Mercy and Encouragement, a nonprofit providing mental health and educational services to children and their families with fees based on a sliding scale and scholarships.

Located in Dunedin, the foundation includes a library, a game area with therapeutic games, a play therapy room and an art room.

"We just basically accept people where they are and we take them and help them the best we can," Dolores said.

It's often said that these are tough times to be a kid. Dolores told us she agrees.

"A majority of the children I see, and I'm talking even three-year-olds all the way to adolescents, are experiencing anxiety and depression," she said.

Dolores has also battled cancer on several occasions, which she continues to beat.

"I bounced right back because this is my purpose," Dolores said. "I love this. It's my passion."