2025 Mourning Glory Gala

Benefitting Kate's Club, more than 300 guests came together for a night of connection, celebration, and hope and raised more than $360,000 to support programs for those experiencing loss and creating a world in which it’s okay to grieve.

Makiya Sheppard, Lanae Ramey, Noelani Ayala, Kira Yamini, Alexandra Konicki and Arman Seth

Kate’s Club, the Atlanta-based nonprofit dedicated to empowering children, teens, their families, and young adults facing life after the death of someone important to them, hosted its 2025 Mourning Glory Gala on Saturday evening at the Grand Hyatt Buckhead. Uniting a community of grievers and supporters, more than 300 guests came together for a night of connection, celebration, and hope. The event raised more than $360,000 to support Kate’s Club’s programs to help those experiencing loss thrive together and create a world in which it’s okay to grieve.

In line with Kate’s Club’s 2025 theme, the year of connection, the gala honored the deeply human moments that define the organization’s purpose. From live entertainment by W!ll & The Exclamation to a moving program featuring a video segment with remarks from founder Kate Atwood and a powerful testimonial from a Kate’s Club member family, the evening reflected the resilience and strength of a community brought together by grief and sustained through connection.

“Whether we like it or not, we are a community joined by the shared experience of grief,” said Lisa Aman, Executive Director of Kate’s Club. “The Mourning Glory Gala is a celebration of the moments that unite our community – from the encouragement shared between members, to the courageous stories told, to the powerful connections that form when we come together.”

William Perry and Shana Jareet
Cortazzo Robinson, Kingsley Pendleton, Valerie Page Pendleton, Omari Pendleton, (bottom) Donta Willis and Christopher Foley
Austen Tully
Austen Tully
W!ll and the Exclamation
Spencer Hawkins and Detrell Hawkins

The need for organizations like Kate’s Club has never been greater. In Georgia alone, more than 230,000 children are grieving a loss, with more than 100,000 in Metro Atlanta. One in eleven children, and one in eight in communities of color, will experience the death of a parent or sibling before turning 18. By age 25, that number doubles. When grief goes unaddressed, it can lead to mental health challenges, poor academic outcomes, and involvement with juvenile justice. By helping children navigate grief in healthy, connected ways, Kate’s Club builds resilience and prepares them for what lies ahead.

Thanks to the generosity of gala attendees and sponsors, Kate’s Club will continue to provide recreational and therapeutic programming in safe spaces, both in-person and online, at no cost to members. Kate’s Club would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to its 2025 gala sponsors: Delta, T&J Industries, DPR Construction, Northwestern Mutual – Trilogy Financial, The Melior Group at Morgan Stanley, FedEx, turnerboone, Primerica, Incisive, Hapag-Lloyd, Old Republic, Rough Draft ATL, Modern Luxury – The Atlantan, Empire Distributors, Maker’s Mark, and Powershot Images.

Lisa Aman
Lisa Aman
Erik Snyder and Zoe Johnson
Austen Tully
Chloe Bowman and Rebecca Bowman
Matt Proveaux and Molly McMillan