Passing Hope Forward
Hope can be hard to find when you're facing grief, loss, anxiety, depression, or seasons that feel too heavy to carry alone. I know, because I've been there.
My name is Katie Dorn, and twenty-two years ago, I walked alongside my beloved sister, Ginny, through her battle with terminal cancer, and later, adopted her three daughters into our family while grieving the loss of my best friend. Through that journey, I learned that hope often appears right in the middle of hardship — in the people who show up, the lessons we learn, and the Divine miracles of love that carry us forward. Out of that experience came three ways I am attempting to pass that love forward.
1.To Share My Story of Hope. If you're walking through a hard season, Magnolias In Winter, was written with you in mind — so that you feel less alone and discover that hope can find you right in the middle of your own story. [Learn More →]
2.To Honor My Sister's Legacy. All proceeds from Magnolias in Winter are donated to the Ginny Kelley "God Love Ya, Hon" Memorial Fund, a charitable fund managed through the Minneapolis Foundation. Inspired by Ginny's life and spirit, the fund makes grants to schools and nonprofits investing in innovative mental health solutions — because her love deserves to keep reaching people. [Learn More →]
3. To Provide Practical Help. Because our children often needed tools that I didn't always have, EmpowerU was born. It equips children, teens, and families with practical skills and support to navigate life's challenges with greater resilience and hope — so no one has to figure it out alone. [Learn More →]
Wherever you find yourself today — welcome. I'm so glad you're here.
GLYH — God Love Ya, Hon.
Magnolias in Winter
A Memoir by Katie Kelley Dorn
Finding Hope in Life’s Hard Seasons
What do you do when the person you love so dearly is dying — and is a single- mother to three young children?
That was the question Katie Kelley Dorn found herself living, not just asking, when her beloved sister Ginny received a terminal cancer diagnosis. What followed were years of hospital rooms and holiday tables, of laughter and heartbreak, of caregiving and uncertainty — and ultimately, of becoming a mother overnight to Ginny's three young daughters while grieving the loss of her best friend.
Magnolias in Winter is the story of that journey. A memoir about grief, faith, sisterhood, adoption, and the extraordinary discovery that hope doesn't wait for the hard season to end — it shows up right in the middle of it.
Through unexpected signs of hope, enduring family traditions, and magnolia blossoms blooming in a Minnesota winter, Katie writes with honesty and warmth about what it means to love someone through the unthinkable — and to keep going after they're gone. For anyone who has sat in a hospital waiting room, held a grieving child, or wondered how to carry both love and loss at the same time, Magnolias in Winter offers something rare — companionship, encouragement, and the reminder that you are never as alone as you feel.
If you are facing loss, caring for a loved one, raising children through difficult seasons, or simply searching for hope — this book was written for you. You are not alone.
[Purchase on Amazon →]
[Download the Book Club Discussion Guide →]
[Meet Katie, the Author →]
The Ginny Kelley
"God Love Ya, Hon" Memorial Fund
Investing in Youth Mental Health
Ginny Kelley had a remarkable gift for making people feel seen, loved, and welcomed. Her favorite expression — "God Love Ya, Hon" — was more than a saying. It was her way of blessing others and reminding them they mattered.
After losing Ginny to breast cancer in 2004, our family experienced firsthand the power of community, compassion, and hope. Friends, neighbors, teachers, counselors, and countless others carried us through one of life's hardest seasons. Their kindness changed our lives.
In 2026, we established the Ginny Kelley "God Love Ya, Hon" Memorial Fund to pass that hope forward.
Through the Minneapolis Foundation, the fund directs support to innovative schools and nonprofits — organizations on the front lines of helping children, adolescents, and families navigate mental health challenges, grief, loss, and adversity.
All author proceeds from Magnolias in Winter go directly to the fund. If you feel called to give, additional gifts are warmly welcomed and fully tax-deductible.
Every gift — large or small — carries Ginny's spirit forward.
Our hope is simple: That every child and family facing a difficult season will know they are not alone.
Because hope grows when it is shared.
GLYH — God Love Ya, Hon.
[Donate to the Fund, managed by the Minneapolis Foundation→]
Mental Health Tools that Build Resilience
Practical Skills. Lasting Hope.
As a school counselor, therapist, educator, and mother, I've seen something that keeps me up at night — children and teens who are deeply loved, but still struggling. Because sometimes love and support, while essential, are not enough by themselves.
You know your child better than anyone. You can see when they're overwhelmed, anxious, or losing confidence — and it can feel helpless when you don't know what to do next. EmpowerU was created for moments exactly like that.
Click here to learn more about EmpowerU and other tools to help your family.