A New Kind of Village

Social club provides family space

By Kathy Dean

It’s said that it takes a village to raise a child. The recent pandemic has disrupted, even dismantled, many of those villages, adding more pressure than ever on parents and children.

Atlanta’s new social club, Kiin, will help relieve some of that pressure by providing support and a nurturing space. “Families, the backbone of our society, are struggling and desperate for childcare and community,” said Sarah Kilpatrick, Kiin Founder and CEO.

she explained. “Our vision is to build an alliance of families that care for each other and the community around them.”

Kirkpatrick reported that the Kiin team has been overwhelmed by the positive response they’ve received. “Former Kefi families have been such huge cheerleaders, brand ambassadors and advocates throughout this process,” she said.

One former Kefi member, Rachael, shared, “At Kefi, not only had we found our village, but we found an extended family. It’s most fitting that their new space is called Kiin because that is exactly what they are to

Minnesota, where iHeartRadio just offered the app to all its employees. Memberships are $6.99 per month or $60 per year, however those who can’t afford it will still be able download and use the app.

Subscribers get a bumper sticker for their vehicle, which Hampton said would also alert an approaching police officer that the driver has the app.

Hampton said TurnSignl also hopes to partner with historically Black colleges and universities to offer the app to students at low or no cost.

The rollout of the app will continue nationwide with Washington D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and California next on the list.

“We know that parents need more time to accomplish their goals and more flexibility in managing their lives; kids need more opportunities to play and freedom to explore and grow in a safe environment; and families need more time together in a supportive community,” she added. “It’s time we built a new kind of village.”

Aimed primarily at millennial families with children under the age of 10, Kiin will provide work, life and play services such as on-demand, developmentally appropriate childcare. There will also be adultsonly, distractionfree spaces for parents, as well as educational panels, networking opportunities, wellness classes, community gatherings and family takeaway meals.

Kirkpatrick stressed that parents and kids are struggling with isolation and lack of support, a problem before the pandemic that has only been exacerbated.

A founding member of Red Wagon Ventures (Chick-Fil-A’s first nonfood innovation) Kirkpatrick was also co-founder of Kefi, the former family social club in Buckhead that closed earlier this year.

She explained that Kefi was initially created to be a family entertainment destination. “During the pandemic, we realized that families have plenty of entertainment options and not much in the way of support and community, so we pivoted and evolved our concept,” us – family.”

The entire Kiin leadership team consists of working women and moms, in addition to Kilpatrick’s former Kefi co-founders as consultants. Another Kiin co-founder, writer Grace Yu, who previously led ad campaigns for Audi, Apple, Delta and Google, will oversee the club’s creative direction.

The Kiin experience will begin with a series of pop-ups while the team works to secure funding for a centrally located physical space in Atlanta. Kiin is still in its early building stages and hopes to have a formal membership waitlist in the near future, Kirkpatrick said.

“In the meantime, follow us on social – Instagram, LinkedIn and like,” she suggested. “We see everything personally and love chatting with new friends – pop into our DMs anytime. Subscribe to our email list on the website.”

Visit findyourkiin.com for more details.