Allen County Commissioners presented our agency with a proclamation for Kinship Care Month today and honored relative caregiver Troisann Spees. Commissioner Cory Noonan (pictured with Ms. Spees and her granddaughter, Meena Spees, 3) read the proclamation today.
About two-thirds of children who can no longer remain in their homes are placed with relatives such as grandparents. Ms. Spees is raising two young children.
The proclamation was presented to recognize the important role relative and kinship caregivers have in raising children in Allen County.

September is recognized nationwide as National Kinship Care Month. It’s a chance to honor and thank all the relatives and kinship providers who open their homes and their hearts to children who can no longer stay in their own homes.

ACCS has 53 kinship providers and 90 children in our Network for Life program, which is the name of the program started in 2014 to assist relative and kinship providers caring for children.

Nationally, there are more than 2.7 million children, or 4 percent of the children in the United States, living with relatives. In Ohio, nearly 300,000 children live with relatives and of that number 64 percent are living with grandparents.