Posted on May 29th, 2018

(COLUMBIA, S.C., April 10, 2018) – The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina, in partnership with The Duke Endowment, enters into its third year of funding for the Well-Being of Children in Kinship Care pilot project.  Through intensive case management, tools and resources the project promotes permanency, safety and well-being of children in the Kinship Care program.  The first of its kind in South Carolina, HALOS serves families who are providing a home to child relatives so that foster care placement is not required. The overall goal of HALOS Kinship Care program is to support relatives or other adults by empowering and strengthening caregivers to be advocates for themselves in order to improve outcomes of the children in their care so that families can stay together.

Funds provided by the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina will be used to support a HALOS Success Coach, Volunteer Coordinator, education/training, emergency funds for kinship families and advocacy. The Success Coach works to ensure that the family is stable, healthy and that the child’s emotional, social and developmental needs are supported.  This additional support is available to these families for up to 18 months.   This is the third disbursement of funds from the Sisters of Charity Foundation in partnership with The Duke Endowment totaling $1,017,014.

According to Kim Clifton, Executive Director of HALOS, “The continued support of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina and The Duke Endowment allows us to continue on our path of service to kinship families.”

Beginning with a $1,500 Caritas grant in 2005, HALOS came to the attention of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina.  This initial grant provided back-to-school supplies for abused and neglected children in foster care. HALOS later received a two-year Responsive Grant to fund their Kinship Care Resource and Support Program. Over the years, HALOS has received more than $270,000 in grants from the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina.

An outgrowth of a Listening Session held with HALOS kinship caregivers in 2012 and further research on the needs of children in kinship families, the Foundation launched a Kinship Care Initiative in September 2014. In addition to grantmaking, the Foundation facilitates the convening of a Statewide Kinship Care Advisory Council to examine ways to better serve kinship families, within and outside the child welfare system, through improved practice and policy.

Continued funding of HALOS aligns with the goals of the Kinship Care Initiative. “HALOS is serving as a model for kinship programs that we hope could be eventually be replicated,” Tom Keith, President, said.

About the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

The Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina, established in 1996, is a ministry of the Sisters of Charity Health System. The Foundation is committed to addressing the needs of the poor and underserved in all 46 South Carolina counties, and strategically uses resources to reduce poverty through action, advocacy and leadership.

 

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Contact:

Langley Shealy

Director of Communications and Public Information

Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina

(803) 254-0230, ext. 19

lshealy@sistersofcharitysc.com

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