About Us
Who We Are | Our Stories | Kate’s Club Staff |
2010 Board of Directors | 2010 Advisory Board | FAQs
Our Mission
Our mission at Kate’s Club is to empower children and teens facing life after the death of a parent or sibling.
Our Vision
Our vision is to create a world where it is okay to grieve.
See Our Video
Click here to view a video on Kate's Club.
Our Unique Approach
The Kate’s Club approach is based on four cornerstones, all of which support our purpose of providing grieving children and their families with an environment where they can re-engage in life and turn a potentially debilitating loss into a growth opportunity:
Fun: Children love to have fun, to play and laugh. We provide programs and our Clubhouse community where kids can learn to continue to enjoy their childhood, their lives through their grief journey.
Community: Death and grief are not openly discussed in American society. Providing children with a peer group of children and mentors that share a similar experience rebuilds a fundamental social foundation currently not being provided in many communities, including Atlanta. At Kate’s club, we create a community where our kids can feel safe to be kids and to share their stories of loss and create memories of life.
Safety: People don’t share unless they feel safe. Kate’s Club is focused on creating a healing environment where participants find comfort in sharing when they are ready.
Long-term: Children who lose a loved one are at greater risk for development of behavioral issues two years following the loss than they were immediately or one year after the loss. Recognizing that grief is a long-term issue and not an event, Kate’s Club provides long-term support to children as they continue to face the challenges of life after a loved one has died.
Our History
Kate’s Club was founded by Kate Atwood who lost her mother at the age of 12. She was inspired to help other children unite with their peers who shared a similar loss experience so they would know they were not alone in their grieving. Kate’s Club started in June 2003 with six children, their families and an outing to a local bowling alley. Now just six years later, we have touched the lives of around 250 children, over 100 volunteers and we have a curriculum of four main programs providing social, recreational and emotional support to the children of Kate’s Club.
Our Stories
Kate Atwood, Founder
"I was 6 years old when my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. 
Six years old and the only thing I knew about cancer was that it started with a “k.”
Just as I had mistaken the alphabet, I had mistaken the severity of this illness. My family was very protective of my brother and me, and as a result, shared little information with us about the status of my mother’s health.
On Thursday, April 25, 1991 my family, my life, my character would forever be changed. I was twelve years old, and in the middle of Ms. Kerewich’s Social Studies class when the fateful call came over the intercom from the office. I knew right away that it was over. For the night before, I had rushed home from my little league softball game to jump in my mom’s arms only to find an empty bed. I knew that moment sitting at that desk, looking at my friend Kyle in desperation, hesitating to move a bone in my body that it was over.
And her life was over. She had struggled six longs years with the deadly disease, fighting through treatment and remissions, fighting not for herself but for my brother and I. And as her struggle was ending, my life was beginning. Numb by the instant change in my life brought on by this loss, I was not able to assess the power of this tragic event on my surviving family. I turned one direction, my brother another direction, and my father another. Not because of the absence of love, but rather the presence of sadness and grief and guilt.
The direction I turned was toward sports and activities. I surrounded myself with friends and with activities, everything from basketball to band to school and community clubs. I was involved and that allowed me to find the hope and assurance I needed that I was a survivor. This activity, unfortunately, did not fill a spiritual void that I now realize was lost throughout most of my childhood.
My involvement with a bereavement camp in Virginia led me to discover this spiritual healing by bringing me comfort amongst others who had experienced this loss. Although I was a counselor at this camp, I was able to feel and see the benefit of bringing peers together that had shared this experience. I became aware of this vital element of support that I did not have as a child, and the need to bring it to children during the most influential time of their young life.
So now, more than fifteen years after the death of my mother, I find my passion in life lies deep in helping others grieving the loss of a loved one. Every corner in life is a new opportunity to have a positive, exciting experience; the wealth of those experiences is measured by the people who surround you during them. We all have our challenges but it is us who strive for victories that flourish throughout life."
Other Stories
"Kate's Club (A Happy Moment)"
By Shaina Pittman, Kate's Club Kid
Click here to read Shaina's story
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Our Staff
Carmen Giles, Executive Director
carmen@katesclub.org
Jana Glass Camerin, LPC, MAC, Program Director
jana@katesclub.org
Debra Brook, CTRS, Program Coordinator
debra@katesclub.org
Angi Pietzak, Special Events Manager
angi@katesclub.org
Program Assistant
programs@katesclub.org
Contractors
Edna Bacon, ATR
Beth Coyle, NMT, MT-BC
Teresa Harris, ATR
2010 Board of Directors
Officers
Toni Friess Millner – Board Chair
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
Susan Grubb, CPA - Treasurer
Porsche Cars North America
Vicki Vickers - Secretary
AT&T
LeighAnn Costley, CPA – Immediate Past Chair
UHY Advisors GA, Inc.
Directors
Greg Abel
Tailfin Marketing Communications
Allison Griffin Bittel
Cushman & Wakefield, Inc.
Ann Hazzard, Ph.D.
Emory University School of Medicine
Bo Heiner
Octagon
Josh Hirsh
Studley, Inc.
Mary Howell, CPA
IDI
Richard Jones, Jr.
Presenting Atlanta, LLC
Ryan King
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Katie Long
C.E. Long, LLC
Samantha Mandell
Jones Day
Leslie Pierson
Community Volunteer
Robert Poirier
Transwestern
Samantha Rein
Ozment Rein, LLC
Advisory Board Chair
Kate Atwood, Founder, Kate’s Club
kate@katesclub.org
Members
Jennifer Bernstein Adams
Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.
Rachel Alterman-Wallack, MSW
VOX Teen Communications
Rick Bennett
Bennett Thrasher, LLC
Ryan Cameron
V-103
Hakim Hilliard
McKenna Long & Aldridge, LLP
Adam Klein
Sprint
Tad Leithead
Tad Leithead Consulting
Stu Levy
Bain and Company
Joyce Morley-Ball, Ed.D.
Morley-Ball & Associates, Inc.
Polly Simpson
Community Volunteer
Janet A. Tharp
The Salvation Army
Bert Weiss
All the Hits Q100
Brenda Wood
WXIA 11-Alive News
FAQs
Who is eligible to participate in Kate’s Club?
Kate’s Club is open to all school-aged children and teens living in the Metro-Atlanta area and surrounding counties who have experienced a death of a parent, sibling, or caregiver at some point in their lifetime.
How much does it cost?
We do not charge a fee for the support services offered at Kate’s Club. All programs at Kate’s Club are free of charge to our participants and their families.
How long after the death does the family need to wait before calling?
A family can call and start the process for participation as soon as they are ready.
What if a child/teen needs private therapy?
Kate’s Club does not provide therapy or private counseling. We have a list of referral therapists who counsel children, teens, and/or adults with grief issues.
What happens at New Family Orientation?
New Family Orientation, is an informal orientation for new families joining Kate’s Club. This is a time for you and your family to learn more about Kate's Club and get comfortable with Kate’s Club before attending one of our programs.
How long is a family expected to participate in Kate’s Club?
We believe in the uniqueness of the intensity and duration of grief for each individual and family. Children/teens choose when to start and when to stop attending.
Is there a long waiting list?
No. If space is not available at the time the application is received a phone call will be placed to the family and with consent, the interested child will be placed on our waiting list. Immediate needs of the family will be discussed and Kate’s Club will make every attempt to refer your family to an alternative community resource that meets your child’s need until further direct service can be provided by the organization. We make every effort to allow all children to join Kate’s Club when they are ready.
Where can I write to Kate's Club?
Kate’s Club
P.O. Box 11805
Atlanta, GA 30355
Is there a Kate’s Club near me?
Kate’s Club is located only in Atlanta, GA. However, other grief support organizations exist around the country. Please feel free to inquire about resources in your area by contacting our program manager at jana@katesclub.org
How is Kate’s Club funded?
Kate’s Club operates entirely on donations from corporations, private foundations and individual donors. We appreciate every gift as it allows us to continue providing a fun, positive, uplifting environment to help grieving children succeed in living healthy lives despite their losses. Click here to make an online donation.
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