News to brighten your day from Step Up Parents

Step By Step

Newsletter 11

We’re Growing!

We are thrilled to announce Step Up Parents is expanding our service area to include kinship families from Cumberland County, Maine. When we began providing assistance in York County, Maine last spring, we were hopeful that we could continue to grow our network throughout the state, and this expansion to Cumberland County is our next step towards meeting the needs of kinship families throughout Maine.

We know the need is great. In fact, in 2022, Cumberland County saw a 30% increase in grandparents caring for grandchildren. Currently 1 in 352 Cumberland County residents are grandparents caring for their grandchildren.

Moving forward, we will continue to build our network of partners and validators throughout the state of New Hampshire and in York and Cumberland Counties, Maine, to make a lasting impact in the lives of heroic kinship caregivers, and their children.

For more information or to connect your organization with Step Up Parents, contact Jessica Parker, Executive Director, at 603.319.4745 or jparker@stepupparents.org.

Hero Spotlight

Meet Lisa and her eight-year-old granddaughter, whom Lisa is raising in kinship care due to the girls' parents' struggle with substance use disorder. Step Up Parents helped Lisa pay for her granddaughter to attend summer camp this summer.

"I didn't think I'd be a single (Grand) parent at this point in my life. It's hard to keep up! There just isn't a lot of support for alternate caregivers. Sometimes, I feel isolated and overwhelmed, and finding support seems almost impossible. I wanted to send my eight-year-old to a traditional summer camp. Financially, I couldn't make it happen. I'm so thankful that Step Up Parents made it possible for her to have a week to get away and enjoy being a kid! I'm grateful that this organization gives help and hope to the families that reach out. Thank you for caring about us!"

Thank you, Lisa, for stepping up and being a hero for your granddaughter!

Our Families

We are please to share that Step Up Parents has assisted over 50 kinship families so far this year!

As we approach the end of the school year and look forward to the hot summer months ahead, we recognize the new challenges kinship caregivers may face.

It has been our honor to fulfill many families’ requests for assistance with the cost of summer camp.

It is heartwarming to know that this assistance is helping children form lifelong friendships and memories, while also providing much-needed respite time for their caregivers.

Special thanks to our supporters who make these amazing gifts possible.

Thank you to one of our hero kinship caregivers, Erica, for sharing the heartwarming collage above, featuring special moments she has shared with her grandsons this year.

In the News

Portsmouth Community Radio Podcast Features Step Up Parents

Step Up Parents (SUP) is excited to share “It Takes A Village: Addiction Prevention & Recovery on the Seacoast,” a podcast series collaboration from WSCA-LP Portsmouth Community Radio, Greater Portsmouth Recovery Coalition, and the Greater Portsmouth Youth Wellness Coalition.

Check out episode 10 of this 24-episode podcast series, in which Jessica Parker, SUP Executive Director, and Denyse Richter, SUP Board President and Founder, speak with podcast host and former Step Up Parents Board member, Mark Lefebvre, about the organization and its importance and place in the landscape of supportive services for kinship families throughout New Hampshire and southern Maine.

“It Takes A Village: Addiction Prevention & Recovery on the Seacoast” is made possible by the generosity of Newburyport Bank, Pinetree Institute, and the Ouellett and Furbush Family Trust.

Listen Now

Our Donors & Supporters

Did you know that all of the wonderful news we share is made possible by generous donations from our friends in the community? We cannot say thank you enough to the many individuals, small businesses, foundations, and corporations who help us to support hero kinship caregivers throughout the state of New Hampshire and southern Maine!

We would like to express our gratitude to The Fabulous Find in Kittery, Maine, for generously donating a portion of the proceeds from their January sales to Step Up Parents! The gift of more than $6,000 will make a huge impact for kinship families in the community!

We would like to extend a very special thanks to the Greater Lakes Region Children’s Auction for generously donating $5,000 to Step Up Parents! This contribution will make a world of difference for so many kinship caregivers and children in need!

For more info or to donate, click here

Upcoming Events

Support Step Up Parents During NH Gives

Save the date to support Step Up Parents during NH GIVES! The statewide 24-hour giving event will be taking place Tuesday, June 11th, at 5 p.m., through Wednesday, June 12th, at 5 p.m.

Because of donors like you, we were able to raise $5,000 last year! Each gift will play a critical role in allowing us to serve our community and create a larger impact in the lives of kinship caregivers and their families.

We need your help to make NH Gives a success again this year, so mark your calendars, follow us on social media, and stay tuned to see how you can make a meaningful impact for kinship families in need!