Many Kate’s Club members and volunteers talk about the awkwardness of grief, of knowing when to say what and to whom. Until grief is more normalized in our society, there will always be a little awkwardness talking to people who don’t “get” grief and can’t relate.
But things are different at Kate’s Club. A Kate’s Club parent, Casey, said that even her seven-year-old daughter, Lily, has expressed that to her: “I like [Kate’s Club] because people know how I feel.”
We talked to Casey about Kate’s Club programs for kids and families, including Clubhouse Days, Park Bench and H.U.G.S. Thank you, Casey, for sharing about seeking grief support and grief resources at Kate’s Club!
Keep reading to learn more about the Kate’s Club way and our grief support services in Atlanta, Albany, Athens, Brunswick, Cobb County and Newnan.
Coming to Kate’s Club for a Grief Expert
Lily was only four when her two-year-old brother died. It was a unique situation that many never experience, and Casey hadn’t either. She knew that she “was not an expert” when it came to children’s grief, and she wanted to find a grief expert or grief specialist to help her support Lily.
Casey’s family first heard about Kate’s Club through a packet of information from one of the hospital’s child life specialists. They didn’t reach out right away, but Casey did make it a priority because she wanted to take the best course of action for Lily’s well-being, and so Lily knew she wasn’t alone in her grief.
For the past few years, Lily has been attending Clubhouse Days one weekend a month, and she really enjoys the arts and crafts, dogs and other activities with a community that gets her.
In addition to the peer support, Lily appreciates seeing the same Buddy volunteers and Kate’s Club staff at Clubhouse Days. Casey said it provides an extra layer of trust for both her and Lily when her daughter is around people she knows and recognizes.
“I’m just really glad that we found out about Kate’s Club and that we were given that packet of information from the hospital that day,” Casey said. “It would have taken a lot longer to get to you guys if I hadn’t had that initial information.”
Programs for Grieving Families in Georgia
Kate’s Club is known for our Clubhouse Days, which invite child and teen members to convene in one place and do grief activities, or sometimes for our school grief groups, which meet on school campuses during the day.
Like many, Casey first heard about our children’s programs and prioritized registering her daughter. However, over the past few years, she has found community through our programs for parents, caregivers and the whole family.
H.U.G.S. stands for Healing, Understanding and Giving Support, and these programs are hosted around holidays that can be difficult for grievers – Siblings Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and the winter holidays.
Casey appreciates the small size of H.U.G.S. programs compared to Clubhouse Days, so she can talk to the people next to her and learn more about them and their situations.
She also appreciates that all the members at Siblings Day H.U.G.S. have experienced the death of a sibling, and the parents and caregivers have experienced the death of a child, rather than a partner or spouse or parent. In this group, everyone knows exactly what she and her family are going through.
“There are very little pockets of people who have lost siblings. It’s nice to have a more intimate group,” Casey shared.
Casey also attends Park Bench, a peer support group for our members’ parents and caregivers. The group meets for the first hour of kids’ Clubhouse Days, or sometimes virtually.
She really enjoys the sense of community from a group of adults who have all experienced a death, something everyone doesn’t have in their daily life.
“In your everyday life, you don’t have that many people who have experienced similar losses to you. It’s nice to go to a place where you don't have to filter yourself for their reaction to your situation,” Casey said. “You don’t have to further explain yourself if someone hasn’t gone through it.”
Contact Kate’s Club for grief support in Georgia
Kate’s Club empowers children and teens, their families, and young adults facing life after the death of a parent, sibling, caregiver or someone important to them. We build healing communities through recreational and therapeutic group programs, education and advocacy. Since its founding in metro Atlanta in 2003, Kate’s Club has served thousands of individuals who are grieving, through both direct service and outreach programs. Kate's Club offers services in Atlanta, Albany, Athens, Brunswick, Cobb County, and Newnan, GA. For more information, visit katesclub.org.