Inspired by her own journey with childhood loss, Kate’s Club Founder Kate Atwood turned personal grief into purpose. Kate’s Club’s pivotal work began in 2003 when six children gathered at a bowling alley to find connection in their grief. Atwood created Kate’s Club to uplift and empower children, teens, and families facing the death of a loved one. Today, the organization proudly serves more than 10,000 grieving children and families across Georgia through life-changing programs, innovative seminars, and healing-centered activities that normalize and destigmatize grief.
“Our organization’s mission and work is to help individuals understand how prevalent grief is, what the risks are if we don’t address it, and the power of helping a child learn how to grieve healthily,” said Lisa Aman, executive director of Kate’s Club.
Kate’s Club meets this need by fostering community through peer-to-peer empowerment. Mentors lead creative exercises, such as mask-making, where members illustrate how they appear after loss on one side and who they truly are on the other, serving as a motivating activity to foster healing and self-discovery.
“There’s this transformation of a child and family participating where you see this level of safety and comfort developing in them,” Aman said.
The organization also reshapes how communities understand grief. Through virtual seminars, Kate’s Club has equipped doctors, nurses, and psychologists with tools to better communicate with and support grieving patients. Because the organization is donor funded, families and professionals receive these essential services at no cost, removing barriers to care.
On November 9, to kick off Children’s Grief Awareness Month, Kate’s Club will host the 2025 Memory Walk: A Circle of Connection. This event is a moving tribute to loved ones lost and a celebration of community support. Winter Holiday H.U.G.S. (Healing, Understanding, Giving, Support) will also return to transform the holiday season into a time of comfort, connection, and celebration.
“We want to ensure that those grieving or supporting a griever know that they are not alone. There is a community of grievers, lots of resources and support, starting with Kate’s Club, to help them understand and feel that it is okay to grieve,” Aman said.
“Our organization’s mission and work is to help individuals understand how prevalent grief is... and the power of helping a child learn how to grieve healthily,” said Lisa Aman.