- Target:
- AARP
- Region:
- United States of America
In the last ten years there has been a 21% increase in the number of children living with grandparents in the state of North Carolina. That's 250,000 children in kinship care in NC who are denied their constitutional right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Grandparents and relatives as parents receive $90.00 per month, per child, from the state to provide the much needed service of feeding, clothing, and educating our children's children. This stipend is capped at $270.00 per month regardless of the amount of children in our homes. Foster parents receive $400.00 and up per month, per child to care for non-related children. When we ask to tap into the foster care subsidies, we are threatened with removal of the children from our homes. The morality of a people is determined by how well they take care of their children.
It's been determined that the best placement for children is with relatives, when suitable. The voices of grandparents raising grandchldren deserve to be heard. Many states are getting financial support for kinship care families through the Adoption and Safe Families Act. Why are we too busy to tap into available resources so that these children can become grow up strong and proud to be a part of the community?
We the undersigned, call on The director of Guilford County Department of Social Services, the state Health and Human Services Director, city and county council members, state representatives and senators to stop dumping financial burden on grandparents to raise our children's children.
You have a moral responsibility to stop cutting services for children and tap into the available federal funds so that: our children do not have to set in a classroom while others kids go on field trips and outings at school; so that we can become volunteers in the the libraries, and hospitals, and not be so burdened down by basic needs.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The "Who's for Kids and who's just kidding?" petition to AARP was written by Sara Harper and is in the category Children's Rights at GoPetition.