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Sunday, April 27, 2025 | Special Advertising Section 12whose parents aren%u2019t available.While parenting her granddaughter,Rita lost her job and could not findanother one for a year, which causedher to drain her savings. She was luckyenough to discover the phone numberfor Catholic Community Servicesof Western Washington%u2019s KinshipProgram.CCS connected Rita with aTemporary Assistance for Needy Families grant and kinship supportassisted her with gas, electric billsand accessing medical coverage forher granddaughter. In addition, Ritawas connected to food resources andreferred to a kinship support group shecould join.%u201cThis role the kinship caregivers%u2019 step into is often unexpected (raisinganother person%u2019s child) and they feeluncertain how to navigate this newposition,%u201d says Erin Maguire, agencydirector of CCS King County.It%u2019s common for grandparents tobabysit or go on an outing with theirgrandchildren and then return them totheir family. Parenting them 24/7 is avastly different type of living situation. It can involve school, teenage angst, behavior and discipline challenges andso much more.Additionally, grandparents often havelimited or fixed incomes. That holds true of Ms. Pines, a grandmother over60 years of age. When one of hersons passed away four years ago, shestepped up to care for his children. Sheis now raising four of her grandchildrenranging in age from 5-14.%u201cIt was hard trying to raise thesegrandchildren on my fixed income,%u201dsays Pines. %u201cI had mounting medicalexpenses and my utility bills wereout of control.%u201d One day at church, aparishioner familiar with Pine%u2019s situationpassed her a note. On the paper thefellow parishioner had written thephone number for the CCS KinshipProgram.Maguire explains that the CCSKinship Program aids caregivers whoare not accessing the formalizedsupport services of the foster parentsystem by matching them with Kinshipnavigators. These navigators are alleither formerly raised by a kinshipcaregiver or are kinship caregiversthemselves. Now that Pines can lean on the Kinship Program, she no longerfaces constant worry about providingfor her grandchildren.%u201cIt%u2019s a brand-new me,%u201d says Pines.%u201cI get to breathe a little bit because Iknow that everything is going to be allSPONSORED CONTENTPROVIDED BY CATHOLIC COMMUNITY SERVICES OF WESTERN WASHINGTONRita, a 54-year-old grandmother, hasbeen a kinship caregiver to her 7-yearold granddaughter since her infancy. A kinship caregiver is defined as agrandparent, another family memberor a close family friend who is raisingthe child or children of a parent who isunable to do so.A 2021 report, issued by the U.S.Department of Labor, states, 3.7%of youth under 18 years of age arebeing raised by one or more of theirgrandparents. Most, 3.2%, are beingraised by a grandmother, while the rest,.5%, are being reared by a grandfather. According to the U.S. Census, a 2021report says 23% of African-Americangrandmothers are raising one or moreof their grandchildren.In the past, many professionalsthought foster care or other child welfare systems might be a better setting than birth families for childrenwhose parents couldn%u2019t care for them.However, the consensus has changed and now many agree that placing children with safe relatives presentsthe optimal living situation for youthKinship caregivers find relief and reinforcementFor over a century, Catholic Community Services of WesternWashington has been a lifeline forour neighbors in need. Every day, we provide essential care, shelterand hope %u2014 serving familiesand individuals of all faiths andbackgrounds. Join us: ccsww.org.Surrounded by sports trophies and children%u2019s toys, Ms. Pines relishes in the memories each item holds. (Catholic Community Services of Western Washington)Kinship Navigator Suzanne (left) and Ms. Pines. (Catholic Community Services of Western Washington)right. The kids are also thriving.%u201dAccording to the HelpGuide.org,%u201cStudies show that grandparents whocope well with the added stress ofraising grandchildren are those whoseek out others for support.%u201d Thissupport can include individuals in thesame situation or an organization full ofpeople who can help.CCS provides support by connecting caregivers with resources to helpnavigate complex legal processes including minor guardianship rights,says Maguire. In addition, the nonprofithelps with rent and finding housing,if necessary, and can help caregiversafford utilities, food, clothing,transportation and hygiene items.%u201cThe CCS Kinship Program providesa lifeline of support for primarily oldergrandmothers, as they work to raisechildren in kinship care. Kinship staffwork with caregivers to ensure theyhave the resources and financialassistance they need to remain stablyhoused and meet the basic needs ofthe children who come into their care,%u201d Maguire says.