Kate’s Club, a nonprofit that helps support children and teens in the aftermath of the death of a loved one, has become the first Georgia organization to win the U.S. Surgeon General Medallion.
The club was founded in metro Atlanta in 2003. After the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, the organization shifted its focus to helping those affected by the loss of family members or loved ones due to COVID. According to a press release, of the 20,000 individuals the nonprofit has served since 2003, 10,000 of those have been since 2020.
“Grief is the most common form of childhood trauma, and 1 in 11 children – 1 in 8 in communities of color – in Georgia are bereaved,” said Kate’s Club Executive Director Lisa Aman in the release. “The Kate’s Club mission is to provide meaningful mental health support to the growing number of grieving families throughout Georgia.”
The U.S. Surgeon General Medallion is the highest honor that the office can award to a civilian.
“I am honored to present the Surgeon General’s Medallion to Kate’s Club, which empowers children and teens, their families, and young adults facing life after the death of a parent, sibling, caregiver or someone important to them,” said U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy in the release. “Since the pandemic began, there have been precious few opportunities to process what we’ve been through, grieve what we’ve lost, and recognize individuals who have gone above and beyond for others.”
The award will be presented to Kate’s Club at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. on Sept. 18.
