“The care of a family member can make all of the difference in a child’s life,” said Stewart-Cousins. “These grandparents and relative caregivers have taken on the awesome responsibility of raising a grandchild or child they are related to, and we owe them a debt of gratitude. I remain committed to providing the advocacy, legislation and funding necessary to maintain kinship care services including family placement, counseling, tutoring, parenting skills and health education for the children and caregivers who need it most."
Kinship care is an option for children in foster care or who cannot live safely with their parents. A relative or grandparent accepts the responsibility of caring for the child. More than 200,000 children in New York and 2.7 million nationwide are living with grandparents or relative caregivers.
The proclamations were presented during a kinship care forum held in Yonkers. They came in recognition for the organizations' foundations of support they provide to extended families.
Stewart-Cousins announced that one million dollars in funding for Kinship Care Services was included in the 2015-16 State Budget. Family Service Society of Yonkers will receive an allocation of $102,980 in 2015.
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