Kinship Caregiver Support
You Said “YES” to a Child. We’re Here to Help.
When a child cannot safely remain in their home, grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings, and even close family friends often step forward to provide a safe, loving space for them.
Sometimes that decision comes with little warning and even less preparation. Suddenly, there's another child to feed, a bed to find, clothes to buy, and a new set of responsibilities to navigate.
At Hero To A Child, we believe that when a family member or trusted adult opens their home to a child, they deserve a community ready to stand beside them.
You provide the love and stability. We're here to help with the resources and support.
Hero To A Child partners with kinship caregivers throughout Pinellas and Pasco counties to help meet children's immediate and ongoing needs, support home stability, and connect families with resources throughout our community of care.
46.3% of children supported through our Children's Needs Program in 2025 were living in kinship homes.
How We Support Kinship Families
Immediate Placement Support: Helping You Prepare Your Home
Welcoming a child into your home can happen overnight. While you're focused on helping them feel safe and loved, the practical needs can quickly become overwhelming. We help kinship caregivers access essential items needed to safely welcome and care for children, including:
Beds, mattresses, cribs, and bedding
Car seats, strollers, and baby supplies
Clothing, shoes, and hygiene essentials
Diapers, wipes, and other daily necessities
Groceries and other urgent household needs
Our goal is to help remove immediate financial barriers so caregivers can focus on what matters most: helping children feel safe, secure, and at home.
Meeting Children's Needs as They Grow
Support shouldn't end once a child settles into their new home. Through our Children's Needs Program, Hero To A Child helps meet needs and create opportunities that may not be covered by other available resources. Assistance may include:
Educational support, tutoring, and school supplies
Counseling and therapeutic services
Sports, arts, camps, and extracurricular activities
Birthday celebrations and childhood experiences
Transportation (bikes) and other needs that support stability
Every child's circumstances are different. We work with caregivers and child welfare professionals to identify opportunities for meaningful support.
Supporting Your Path to Level 1 Licensure
For eligible relative and nonrelative caregivers involved in Florida's child welfare system, becoming a Level 1 licensed foster home may provide access to additional financial support and resources. But preparing your home to meet licensing requirements can sometimes create unexpected expenses. Hero To A Child may be able to help provide essential household items and children's supplies needed to support the licensing process, helping remove practical barriers along the way. We encourage caregivers to work directly with their assigned licensing specialist or child welfare professional to understand eligibility, requirements, and available benefits.
Connecting You to a Community of Care
No single organization can meet every need, and you shouldn't have to know where to turn for every answer. Hero To A Child works alongside community partners throughout Pinellas and Pasco counties to help connect kinship families with programs, services, and people who can support them. Whether you're looking for information about financial assistance, licensing, educational resources, caregiver support, or services for the children in your home, we want to help you find a place to start.
Our role is to help bridge the gap between the needs you identify and the community resources that can help meet them.
Helping Families Stay Together
When relatives and trusted adults step forward to care for children, they help preserve important family relationships, connections, and a sense of belonging. But providing that stability can come with unexpected financial and emotional challenges. At Hero To A Child, we've seen how something as simple as a bed, a bag of groceries, or assistance with school supplies can make a meaningful difference for a family already doing everything they can. By supporting kinship caregivers, we're investing in the stability and well-being of the children they love.
Need Help? We're Here for You.
Whether you've recently welcomed a child into your home or have been caring for a relative's child for years, we want to help you access the support available.
Request Assistance
If a child in your care has an unmet need, connect with your case manager, Guardian ad Litem volunteer, or licensing specialist to discuss submitting a request through Hero To A Child. You can also contact our team to learn more about our programs and available resources.
Explore Community Resources
Not sure where to start? Contact our team to learn about resources and community partners that may be able to help.