Caregivers, Advocates Honored at Kinship Care Month Celebration
During Kinship Care Month, we celebrate the treasured natural resource of kinship caregivers statewide, and highlight the important contribution that kin make in supporting and raising children, along with the advocates who fight so fiercely for them.
Kinship Care refers to non-parent relatives – grandparents, aunts, uncles, adult siblings – or close family friends who take on the responsibility of raising a child when the parent is unable to do so. In New York, some 195,000 children are living with relatives or family friends who are their primary caregivers.
The celebration featured remarks from Gail Geohagen-Pratt, Deputy Commissioner, NYS Office of Children and Family Services, and the presentation of the 2024 CURA Awards, which recognize outstanding achievements and contributions of those involved with kinship caregiving. The winners are: Kinship Champion – Doris Green, Lifespan of Greater Rochester; Kinship Champion – Organization – Chemung County DSS; Kinship Professional – Beth Harrington, Hillside Children’s Center; Outstanding Organization – Catholic Charities Family and Community Services – KIN program, Monroe County; and Kinship Caregivers Deborah Mott, Cattaraugus County; Joanne Brown, Kings County; Bonnie Thornton, Monroe County; Jennifer Jackson, New York County; Brian Augustine and Megan White, Queens County; Tawana Lewis, Queens County; and Laura and Albert Ellis, Suffolk County.
We’re so pleased to be able to highlight the important contribution that Kinship Caregivers play in supporting and raising children. Each of the honorees is helping to raise stronger kids and build a better future for all of us in New York.
The NYS Kinship Navigator and the NYS Kincare Coalition established The Cura Awards in 2015 to annually recognize the outstanding achievements and contributions of those involved with kinship care.
A volunteer committee reviews nominations and select honorees in the following categories:
- Outstanding Professional – An individual working in the field of kinship care or related field or that has had a significant positive impact on kinship care in New York State as a result of their work.
- Outstanding Organization – A nonprofit organization in New York State providing kinship care or that has had a significant positive impact on kinship care.
- Outstanding Kinship Caregiver – Any kinship caregiver living in New York State that has demonstrated outstanding selflessness, leadership or has overcome tremendous barriers.
- Kinship Champion: A state or national official or organization leader who has vigorously worked to help kinship families.
