WHEREAS, Kinship Care Awareness Month is an opportunity to recognize the kinship care providers who open their hearts and homes to provide children with a sense of connection, security, and ties to their culture, family, and community; and

 

WHEREAS, every child in Virginia deserves the opportunity to grow and learn in a supportive, loving, and safe home environment while retaining a sense of family, cultural heritage, and community ties; and

 

WHEREAS, approximately 4,900 children and teens are in the foster care system in Virginia, with about 1,150 (23 percent) of those children and teens placed in kinship care, keeping them connected to their families; and

 

WHEREAS, kinship care proves to be one of the most vital structures for providing Virginia’s children with love, dignity, physical and emotional safety, as well as ensuring a sense of continuity in their lives; and

 

WHEREAS, kinship families provide essential support as children and families heal, reunify, and build toward successful futures and help to promote positive outcomes for children, including improved physical and mental health, fewer behavioral challenges, and greater stability as they transition from foster care; and

 

WHEREAS, Kinship Care Awareness Month reflects the values of family, community, and the welfare of children shared by all citizens of the Commonwealth, and the commitment to reconnecting and strengthening families;

 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Abigail D. Spanberger, Governor, do hereby recognize October 2026, as KINSHIP CARE AWARENESS MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA, and I call this observance to the attention of all of our citizens.