Kinship Care Story: An Aunt Steps Up for Her Niece and Nephew

When two young children needed a stable home, their aunt stepped up to care for them.

She had already been deeply involved in their lives, helping with school enrollment and medical appointments and caring for them while their grandmother worked. At the time, she was also pregnant with a child of her own.

In late 2025, her older niece came into her care. A few months later, her two-year-old nephew joined them. Since then, she has been balancing the needs of three young children, including a toddler who requires frequent medical care and is nonverbal, while managing different school schedules and the everyday responsibilities of raising a family on her own.

“It’s been very difficult,” she shared. “I’m just a single mom trying to care for them but also maintain a roof over their head, feeding them and giving them a loving home.”

Step Up Parents was able to help provide some of the essentials the family needed, including a car seat and dining table. These may seem like simple items, but for a family adjusting to a new chapter, they can make a meaningful difference in creating a safe and comfortable home.

The aunt told us how much the support meant to her and the children.

“Because of your help, we now have things that make our home safer, more comfortable, and more welcoming for the kids,” she wrote. “Seeing the smiles on their faces is truly priceless.”

For this family, stepping up meant making sure two children had someone they could count on. With support from the community, their aunt can continue doing what she has been doing all along: giving them a safe, loving place to call home.

Even heroes need a hand.