Larimer County commissioners on Sept. 9 unanimously approved a proclamation declaring September 2025 as National Kinship Appreciation Month, following presentations from county human services staff, a kinship advocate and a caseworker who read a kinship caregiver’s testimony.

Why it matters: County staff and advocates said kinship care keeps children connected to family, culture and community, often with better outcomes than nonrelative foster placements, while also imposing financial, legal and emotional burdens on caregivers.

Angela Mead, deputy division manager for Child, Youth and Family Services at Larimer County Human Services, asked the board to adopt the proclamation and outlined county statistics: “Currently, in Larimer County, we have 141 kids living in a kinship type setting,” she said, adding that the county knows of 94 different kin providers with at least one child in their home and that 63 percent of children who are not with their primary caregivers are placed with kin.

Gail Engel, co-founder and executive director of the Grand Family Coalition, described national and local advocacy work and urged “a kin-first culture” that expands financial assistance, counseling, respite care and legal support for caregivers. Engel said trainings and community supports should help schools, health providers and social workers respond to kinship-family needs.

Amy Beeman, a kinship caseworker, read testimony from Jamie Wilborn, who could not attend. The testimony described Wilborn’s decision to take custody of two younger sisters after Larimer County Human Services removed them from their mother’s care in September 2023 because of safety concerns. “I opened my home to them,” the testimony read, “not knowing how hard the road ahead would be. … Today, I am proud to say that things have changed. The girls are thriving.” Wilborn’s testimony further said she now has permanent custody of her sisters and plans to become a foster parent in the future.

Commissioners praised advocates and the county staff who support kinship families. Commissioner Shattuck McNally read the proclamation on the record and moved its adoption; the motion passed 3–0. The proclamation text, read aloud at the meeting, recognized local partners including GRANDfamilies, My Friend Bridal, Larimer County Human Services and the Office on Aging for providing support services such as financial assistance, counseling and legal guidance.

Discussion at the meeting stressed that many kinship arrangements are informal and that caregivers often lack access to resources. Commissioners and staff said county programs and community partners — including aging services that provide respite vouchers — play a key role in supporting kinship households. No additional county funding or policy changes were adopted at the meeting; the board’s action was the formal proclamation.