Kids at Heart

What Is the Kids at Heart Program?

Having a child or sibling with a congenital heart defect (CHD) can be difficult for parents, caregivers and families. At Children's Healthcare of Atlanta, we offer our heart families a chance to come together with other families and share similar experiences through our Kids at Heart Program community.

The Kids at Heart Program is a support program for parents, caregivers and families of patients with CHDs who are treated at Children's. In 2022, the Kids at Heart Program is sponsored by Chick-fil-A Atlanta and other gracious donors, and offers social, emotional, and educational support programs to help our heart families inside and outside of the hospital setting.

Events for heart families

From mentor programs to family outings, we provide social, educational and support opportunities to families year-round, including:

• Annual holiday party
• Camp Braveheart
• Cardiac Siblings Day
• Cardiac Teen Retreat
• CHD Awareness Week celebration
• CHD Awareness Week event at the Georgia State Capitol
• Dad's Day Out
• Fall Festival
• Family Support Dinner
• Greater Atlanta CHD Walk
• Mom's Day Out
• Parents Night Out
• Parenting Your Heart Child Conference
• New Mom’s Support Groups
• Chick Fil A Family Events

Please find monthly events below.

Online support

After you register for the Kids at Heart Program, you will receive a monthly e-newsletter, a link to join our private Facebook group. If you are unable to attend our in-person event, our Facebook group is a great way to meet and connect with other heart families.

Family support dinners

Kids at Heart Program members and patient families in the Cardiac Acute Care Unit (CACU) and Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) at Children's are welcome to attend the monthly Kids at Heart Family Support Dinner. During these dinners, hospitalized cardiac patients and their families can:

• Connect with other families who have faced similar situations.
• Learn about helpful resources and information through a brief presentation.
• Enjoy dinner with the group, provided free of charge.

The dinners are held on the fourth Tuesday of each month, unless otherwise indicated, at Egleston Hospital in the First Floor Conference Center, Classroom 5, at 6 p.m. To RSVP, please email kidsatheart@choa.org.

Note: The Kids at Heart Family Dinner is for heart patients and families only. For more information, email alison.mueller@choa.org or call 404-785-6109.

Read our Kids at Heart patient stories

Monthly Events

All event dates are subject to change. Information about all events and opportunities will be posted on all Heart Center units, posted in the Kids at Heart FB group and sent in a newsletter.

Feed the Heart Dinners

• Every Tuesday, meals delivered to rooms between 5:15-6:30pm
• Inpatient families

Family Support Dinners

• Every fourth Tuesday, January - October, 6:00pm, Classroom 5, Egleston
• Inpatient and outpatient families

New Mom Support Group

• Every fourth or fifth Thursday, 2:00pm, Egleston
• Inpatient families only

April

• April 25: Family Support Dinner

May

• May 23: Family Support Dinner
• May 28 - June 2: Camp Braveheart

June

• May 28 - June 2: Camp Braveheart
• June 17: Sibling Support Day
• June 27: Family Support Dinner

July

• July 22: Parent’s Night Out
• July 24: Family Support Dinner

August

• August 5/6 or August 26/27:  Dad’s and Heart Child Day Out
• August 22: Family Support Dinner

September

• September 26: Family Support Dinner
• September 29/30: Fall Festival - Southern Bell Farms

October

• October 7: Children’s Heart Foundation Heart Walk
• October 14/15 or October 21/22:  Mom’s Support Day
• October 24: Family Support Dinner

November

• November 3-5: Teen Camp
• November 11: Parenting your Heart Child Conference

December

• December 8/9: Holiday Gathering
• December 12: Family Support Holiday Dinner