The Kinship Caregiver Program at Catholic Charities is a vital support system for caregivers who find themselves raising due to unforeseen circumstances. Whether it is an absense of parents because of death, drug abuse, incarceration or a multitude of reasons, these caregivers’ step in to provide a stable and loving home.
Operating in five counties – Denver, Arapahoe, Jefferson, Adams, and Douglas – the Catholic Charities Kinship Program extends a helping hand through monthly support groups, family events, individualized resource referrals and much more. With services are entirely free. Meet Miss Cherry, one of our clients. With two children of her own, she took on three more when a neighbor faced unforeseen difficulties. To her, they are all “God’s children.” Miss Cherry’s kids share her sanguine personality, often playfully teasing her about her height and how she should grow taller.
Hailing from Jamaica, Miss Cherry and her recently deceased husband raised five children, some of whom face learning disabilities and require physical therapy. Our Kinship staff, including Carrie Savage and Sarah Burgess, have been critical in providing the family with the support and resources. Miss Cherry wholeheartedly believes that “Kinship has had an incredibly positive impact on my family.”
From connecting her with therapists for the kids to arranging expert guest speakers and fostering support through Kinship support groups, our program has become a lifeline. Miss Cherry is grateful for events such as the Catholic Charities School Supply Drive and the Catholic Charities Adopt-A-Family programs, which help her provide school supplies and Christmas gifts for her children when she can’t afford them.
She considers herself blessed to raise her expanded family and expresses gratitude for the support she receives. “Praise to the mighty God for the opportunity to be part of such a loving, diverse family.”