Padres de Crianza supports Latino kinship caregivers in Hillsborough County
Philip Morgan | Wednesday, August 28, 2024
You’re the Latino uncle, grandmother or big sister who has taken over raising a relative’s children. You are new to this country, new to Hillsborough County, and you speak little or no English.
How do you learn about the services available to help you?
You contact Padres de Crianza, a year-old program run by Gulf Coast JFCS (Jewish Family and Community Services).
“The program is to support families, and ensure they all have the resources they need to keep the children safe and with their loved ones,’’ says Tamara Alvarado, program manager.
Padres de Crianza, which means “the parents who raised you,’’ currently serves 62 caregivers and 111 children from birth through middle school. The program also organizes support groups that have reached 171 families so far.
“The families feel comfortable with us because we speak their language. They feel connected because we are Latinos, too,’’ says Alvarado. “I think that’s really important for them to feel connected and safe and loved.’’
