HALOS Continues Holiday Drive Tradition

HALOS will host its Annual Holiday Drive for children enrolled in HALOS’ Kinship Care Program on Friday, December 9th and Saturday, December 10th, 2022. 

The organization has been providing holiday gifts for children in our area since 1997. This year, nearly 1,300 children whose families are currently enrolled in HALOS’ Kinship Care Program will be receiving holiday gifts donated by community members. HALOS partners with local faith-based organizations, businesses, and civic groups via angel trees to fulfill the children’s wishes.

Kinship families in which grandparents or other relatives are caring for and raising children to keep them out of foster care, often face financial difficulties with the increased strain on their budget of the added child or children.

“Kinship families are more likely to have lower incomes,” said HALOS Director of Programs, Khalilah Sumners. “The financial burden can be even more severe when they are already caring for other children, take in large sibling groups, are retired or living on a fixed income. Nonetheless, research shows that children in kinship care experience increased stability, lower rates of foster care entry and reduced behavioral problems compared to children in foster care.”

Financial challenges can be especially daunting this time of year, as kinship caregivers want to provide a happy holiday for the children in their care. For some kids, it may be the first time they have had a safe and stable home in which to experience the joy of the season.

You can learn more about HALOS at charlestonhalos.org.

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