About Us
We do this for the ZOWS—the Zacharys of this World. Founded in Zachary’s honor, Marshmallow’s HOPE is his legacy, devoted to saving lives and ensuring every youth feels seen, supported, and hopeful—because he should still be here.
Laura Kane started Marshmallow’s Hope in memory of her son Zachary Ryan Birkholz, a 14 year old Harlem Freshman, died by suicide in 2018. Sadly, Laura was unaware that her child was suffering in silence. Depression and Suicide were foreign topics to her until the tragedy of these silent killers affected her in the worst way.
After Zachary’s death, she began to post motivational messages on social media through her son’s Snapchat Shadow313zc and on her personal Facebook. Her goal was to encourage kids in the community to reach out for help and stay alive. But to her surprise, kids began to open up to her about their own struggles with depression, anxiety, trauma from abuse, their battle with self harm, addiction, and suicidal ideations. Parents of hurting children also began to reach out to her for help.
She began to educate herself on these topics and quickly realized that our community has a huge need for resources to help kids who are struggling and need mental health related services. She knew that she had to make a change for these kids and help in a big way, thus the birth of Marshmallow’s HOPE.
At Marshmallow’s Hope, we are a compassionate and dedicated group of counselors committed to supporting the mental health of our community. Our team brings together diverse backgrounds in mental health, counseling, and trauma-informed care to provide empathetic and personalized support to those navigating through loss and grief.
Each member of our team is driven by a shared mission to create a safe and healing space for individuals and families. With expertise in grief counseling, trauma recovery, and coping strategies, we are here to walk alongside you on your journey towards healing and hope. Meet our team below and discover the caring professionals ready to support you through every step of your healing process.