Press Release
HALOS, a tri-county nonprofit that supports kinship caregivers, has received two generous grants from The Duke Endowment to support families negatively impacted by COVID-19 and to formally evaluate the HALOS Kinship Navigation Program, which will lead to evidence-based research and support on the impact of kinship care for children.
“The continued support of The Duke Endowment is not only changing the lives of children in the Lowcountry through our pandemic aid program, it will change the lives of kinship caregivers and children around the nation,” said Kim Clifton, Executive Director of HALOS. “As the pandemic continues into 2022, we are thrilled to announce additional funds for families in need. And looking towards the future, the additional grant towards our Kinship Navigation Program will provide the research and evidence needed to empower kinship caregivers and the children in their care. Together, with the support of The Duke Endowment and others, we are elevating the conversation about the lifesaving work of kinship caregivers.”
For South Carolina Kinship Caregivers Needing Assistance:
HALOS is continuing the HALOS COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Program, due to a generous grant of $141,036 from The Duke Endowment. This program has ensured that vulnerable children are able to stay with the kinship caregivers during these unprecedented times. If you are in need of assistance, please contact HALOS at https://www.charlestonhalos.org/special-covid-19-assistance or by calling (854) 444-3716.
Elevating the Conversation Surrounding Kinship Care:
HALOS Kinship Navigation program will be partnering with Child Trends to formally evaluate kinship care and put forward evidence-based models for the future. This is due to a three-year grant from The Duke Endowment, totaling $592,000, which be used to implement a quasi-experimental research design that will help HALOS potentially qualify as an evidence-informed, and perhaps evidence-based, model. The evaluation will include a quantitative caregiver outcomes study, as well as a qualitative process evaluation. The two complementary study components will tell us more about how the Kinship Navigation program is implemented and how it helps meet the needs of kinship caregivers. This important work will continue to position HALOS as an organization that not only supports kinship caregivers but advocates for vulnerable children by empowering South Carolina and the nation with important models and evidence on how to walk alongside these children and their caregivers.
About The Duke Endowment:
Based in Charlotte and established in 1924 by industrialist and philanthropist James B. Duke, The Duke Endowment is a private foundation that strengthens communities in North Carolina and South Carolina by nurturing children, promoting health, educating minds and enriching spirits. Since its founding, it has distributed more than $4 billion in grants. The Endowment shares a name with Duke University and Duke Energy, but all are separate organizations.
About Charleston HALOS:
HALOS is the first nonprofit solely focused on the unique needs of kinship families in South Carolina and the only one in the tri-county area. With 19 out of 20 children likely to be placed with a family member, as opposed to foster care, the grandparents and relatives taking care of kids often get left behind. HALOS is here to serve these families and ensure that they have the tools necessary to parent these children and offer them the support they need to succeed. To learn more, visit www.charlestonhalos.org.
