Skyland Trail Partners with Kate’s Club to Support Grieving Children and Families

Atlanta, GA — Skyland Trail is proud to partner with Kate’s Club, a statewide nonprofit that has supported more than 10,000 grieving children, teens, young adults, and their families since its founding in 2003. Originally starting as a small social outing for six children, Kate’s Club has grown into a dynamic organization offering programs that help families navigate grief, build resilience, and find connection in the face of loss.

Through this partnership, Skyland Trail brings its expertise in mental health and accessibility to Kate’s Club programs, ensuring that all participants, including those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), can fully engage in the supportive services offered. Molly Mercer-Deadman,MEd, Skyland Trail’s Director of Education, provided specialized training for Kate’s Club staff and interns. The training focused on how to support children with ASD and offered strategies to meet their unique emotional and developmental needs. 

In addition to staff training, Skyland Trail horticultural therapist Marisol Clark, HTR, led horticultural therapy sessions for children ages 5–17 and their adult caregivers. These sessions combined grief support with wellness activities in a nature-based setting.

“Through our horticultural therapy sessions at Kate’s Club, my goal is to introduce participants to the benefits of experiencing nature in unique ways that build wellness,” says Clark. The sessions included activities such as mindful scavenger hunts and exploring how natural scents can relieve stress and anxiety through diy sachet bags. Caregivers practiced mindfulness by blending herbal teas and planting gratitude bonsais in honor of their loved ones. These hands-on, nature-based activities help participants process grief, stress, and anxiety while fostering connection and emotional growth.

Skyland Trail also extends its impact through education and community outreach. Chris Cline, LCSW, MBA, MHA, Senior Vice President of Clinical Services, recently hosted a session with young adults on depression and grief. In partnership with Kate’s Club, Skyland Trail supports the nonprofit’s LOKATE program, which provides young adults navigating grief with peer connection, counseling resources, and workshops on emotional wellness and life skills, helping them build resilience and community during a pivotal stage of life.

“Partnering with Kate’s Club allows us to combine our clinical expertise with their community-based programs to reach children, teens, and families who are navigating profound loss,” says Mercer-Deadman. “Together, we are creating safe spaces where grief is acknowledged, supported, and transformed into connection and growth.”

Learn more about Kate’s Club and its programs at www.katesclub.org