Kinship Caregivers Month (2009)

Kinship Caregivers Month

WHEREAS,  grandparents and other relatives serve as models, shaping our character and principles and providing unconditional love and support throughout our lifetime; and

WHEREAS,  across Virginia, thousands of grandparents and family caregivers help ensure that cultural traditions, timeless values, and family connections are passed on to future generations; and

WHEREAS,  many grandparents and relatives selflessly step in to raise the children of relatives in difficult circumstances, these dedicated individuals deserve our respect and support; and

WHEREAS,  September is the time of the year when the nation honors grandparents as caregivers, with one day set aside to formally recognize the important role assumed by grandparents in the lives of their families; and

WHEREAS,  through the caring of grandparents and other relatives, children are able to develop a sense of self-worth and family values which assists them in becoming well-adjusted, healthy adults; and

WHEREAS,  with compassion and understanding, grandparents and other relative caregivers contribute to our future by serving as a source of strength in times of difficulty, encouragement in moments of doubt and empathy in periods of distress for children not living with their birth parents;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Timothy M. Kaine, do hereby recognize September 2009 as KINSHIP CAREGIVERS MONTH, in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all our citizens.