Our Blog
September 2023 Newsletter
Posted on October 05, 2023 by Adoption Circle Staff
Although September marked the end of summer, we continue to enjoy the warm “summer” temperatures. We know the cool Autumn temperatures will be upon us soon. We will continue to enjoy this lovely weather as long as we can. 😊 It’s time to look back at the events that took place in September.
Grandparent and Kinship Month
The governor declared September as Grandparent and Kinship month in Ohio. Across the country, approximately 2.6 million children live with a kinship caregiver. In Ohio, we have more than 297,000 children under the age of 18 living in homes whose caregivers are families other than their parents. The Office of Families and Children (OFC) recognizes and celebrates the importance of grandparents and kin in raising children when their parents are unable to.
Over the past several years, the Office of Families and Children (OFC) has expanded services and benefits available for kinship caregivers. Along with the Kinship Support program, Kinship Incentive Permanency Program, in January 2023, OFC introduced the Kinship Guardianship Assistance Program (KGAP). Kinship Guardianship assistance Program provides financial assistance to eligible Kinship caregivers who have been granted legal custody or guardianship of a child that was placed in the home as a foster care placement for at least six months.
To all our Kinship Caregivers, thank you so very much for supporting our children. Your positive and loving impact will last throughout their lifetime. We also want to recognize the commitment of the grandparents and kinship caregivers in Ohio. Thank you for your dedication, often going above and beyond to meet the child(ren)’s needs. We recognize the important role these caregivers play in creating the best possible outcomes for Ohio’s most vulnerable youth.
Also, in honor of Grandparents month, we highlight sweet baby Charlie’s grandparents, who came all the way from Italy to meet their grandson. Adorable!
Hispanic Heritage Month
September was National Hispanic Heritage Month. Hispanic Heritage Month traditionally honors the cultures and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans. Adoption Circle is honored to be able to celebrate Hispanic heritage and culture.
Adoption Circle Picnic
The Adoption Circle Picnic was 9/24/23. It was a beautiful day and it was so much fun to see our adoptive families and our little ones. And also our “not so little” ones. The kids enjoyed the scavenger hunt, the bubble station as well as the rock painting station. New friends were made and old friends were reunited. It was so much fun to see all the families and to have the picnic again. Due to the pandemic, this was the first picnic in three years. We are hoping to get back to the annual picnic schedule.
Picnic Cupcake Station
One of the favorite stations at the picnic was the cupcake decorating station. Nothing is better than decorating and then eating your sweet treat. Mary Piper baked the cupcakes and helped the kiddos decorate their cupcakes. Mary Piper’s cupcakes were such a hit. She enjoys baking and has her own little cupcake business. If you are looking for a sweet treat, follow Mary Piper on IG@sweet.mp.cupcakes (Sweet MP’s cupcakes).
From the desk of the Birth Parents Director, Kim.
It’s time to start up the book club again. If there is a good adoption book you’d like to recommend for book club, or just have an interest, contact kim@adoptioncircle.org. More details to follow based on interest.
Looking forward to the October newsletter and highlighting all of October events. If you don’t follow us on our social media accounts (FaceBook, Instagram, Twitter), please do so. We post several times throughout the month! 😊