GAP, a prevention program for kinship caregivers, provides support, mentoring, and resources to caregivers who are raising grandchildren, nieces, nephews, or other relative children after removal from the home due to abuse or neglect.   

GAP offers support groups with exceptional guest speakers, parenting workshops, kinship warmline support, counseling services, children’s peer groups, advocacy, community resources, holiday food drives, and referrals for participants. The primary goal of these services is to ensure relative caregivers’ homes remain free from abuse and neglect and that families remain stable by keeping children out of first-time or repeat foster care.

For the year ending September 30, 2023, 98% of families served in GAP achieved success in keeping their homes free of abuse and avoiding entry or re-entry into foster care. The remainder of clients served were reunited with their parents after fulfilling their case plans.

“This group is an amazing team that goes above and beyond to make sure we are all cared for and doing OK,” said a client in our program who was raising her grandchildren off and on since birth. “GAP Advocates helped me through some of the hardest days of my life.”