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. Since 2022, the Kids at Heart Program has been sponsored by Chick-fil-A Atlanta and other gracious donors, in order to offer 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
• Dads and Kids Day Out
• Fall Festival
• Family Support Dinners
• Greater Atlanta CHD Walk
• Mom's Day Out
• Parents Night Out
• Parenting Your Heart Child Conference
• Heart Mom’s Support Groups
• Chick Fil A Family Events

Information about all events and opportunities will be posted on all Heart Center units, posted in the Kids at Heart Facebook group and sent in a newsletter. For more information about any of these events, please email kidsatheart@choa.org.

Online support

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

Recurring Events

Feed the Heart Dinners

• Most Tuesdays, meals are served out of the fourth floor (CICU) family lounge from 5:30 to 6:30pm
• Inpatient 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 quarterly Kids at Heart Family Support Dinners. 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.
• Enjoy dinner with the group, provided free of charge.
• The dinners are held in the Zone at Arthur M. Blank Hospital.
• Inpatient and outpatient families.
• 2026 quarterly Family Support Dinner dates:
• February 3
• May 19
• August 25
• November 17th

Heart Mom Support Group

• Held once a month at Arthur M. Blank Hospital, typically the 4th or 5th Thursday of the month at 2:00 PM in the CACU Classroom (5th floor)
• Inpatient and outpatient moms (no toddlers or children can attend, infant in arms is OK)