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Tasha understands the child welfare system well. For years, she worked within it, helping families navigate the process from the other side of the paperwork. She knew the stories. She supported the kids.

Now, she’s living it.

Even with all of her professional experience, nothing could quite compare to her recent vantage point: stepping in as a kinship caregiver for her three grandchildren. 

Of course, she said yes immediately when her grandbabies needed a safe place to land. She knew it would mean big changes for everyone.

Two of her grandkids are little, one is approaching the teenage years, and Tasha has now reentered a full-time caregiving role she'd exited long ago when she'd launched her own children.

“It’s wild,” she shared when we met her just a few weeks ago, “going from the life stage I was in to watching Bluey and Bob the Train again.”

When we received Tasha's request for Welcome Packs for her three grandkids, our Caregiver Support Coordinator, Joy, looked forward to connecting with her. Joy welcomed her to The Perch—our North Austin resource center, where families can access critical essentials in a home-like, trauma-informed space.

Joy helped Tasha "shop" the stocked shelves to find all of the items she’d requested, including clothes, shoes, toiletries, toys, books, and then offered several other items that might come in handy for this unexpected season.

Tasha left with a carload: twin beds and bedding, car seats, a highchair, toddler dishes, and three thoughtfully packed Welcome Packs—each one customized to meet the unique needs of her grandkids.

Now, she and the kiddos are settling in and finding their way forward, with a village by their sides.

In a recent follow-up phone call with our team, Tasha continued to share about the impact of her experience at The Perch:

“Someone had told me to reach out to Foster Village because they'd have everything I'd need, like Walmart. But the whole experience was way better than a store! It was like having a personal shopper who really understood what I was going through.

Joy thought of things I couldn’t even think of but definitely needed. She'd mention something, and I'd say, 'Yes! That would actually be so helpful to have!'

When you're in those first days it's all overwhelming, and it was amazing to have her support right away.

I’ve been talking to everyone about you all. I'm so grateful for what you do. As soon as I walked through the doors, I could feel my anxiety levels just go way down...and I knew I could finally breathe.”

Why Kinship Support Matters

This National Kinship Care Month, Tasha’s story reminds us just how much kinship caregivers give—and how often they do so with less support.

While kinship care is often the first and best option for children—keeping them connected to the people they know and love—kinship caregivers typically receive fewer resources and less financial assistance than traditional foster families.

At Foster Village, we equip dozens of families like Tasha's with Welcome Packs every month. These essentials offer practical help and a tangible reminder that they don’t have to navigate the child welfare system alone. When this village wraps around families with holistic support, caregivers are sustained, and children have the stability they need to heal and thrive.

Thank you for being part of the village that makes this possible.

If you’d like to support families like Tasha’s, you can shop our Amazon Wish List today.