Keeping the Family Together

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When Serenity turned 15, she did more than blow out candles. She stepped into young adulthood with a quiet confidence that was not always there. Once shy and reserved, she now dreams of owning her own business one day, doing hair for her community. Her brother Sam, 14, is just as thoughtful, though he prefers solitude and video games. His dream is to become a computer coder, building something that is all his own.

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Their cousins, who came to live with them after their mother’s passing in May, are just as full of personality. Jamel, 11, wants to be both a police officer and a football player. Ten-year-old Cheyenne talks about becoming a chef and a nurse. And little Jasiah, age 8, is the comedian of the group, always finding a way to make his family laugh. He has his sights set on soccer, but for now, his role as the family’s ringleader suits him perfectly.

Five children, each with big dreams, are growing up together in their grandmother’s two-bedroom apartment. What they share is more than space. They share love, loss, resilience, and the determination of a grandmother who promised her late daughter, “I will keep your kids together.”

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The journey has not been easy. The children still talk about their mom daily, bringing her into bedtime prayers and asking questions about her. Adjusting to a new school in Georgia after moving from Florida has been another hurdle. Yet even in grief, their laughter fills the home. “They are goofy, they love to laugh, they love family,” their grandmother, Ms. Henry says.

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Behind the laughter are sacrifices few can imagine. Ms. Henry works full time at Walmart, yet still struggles to provide for five growing children. She has skipped her own high blood pressure medication to pay for bills and household essentials. Living in a cramped two-bedroom apartment, she often goes without so that her grandchildren never have to. “If I don’t have, they’re still going to have,” she says. “I will do whatever it takes. I will die trying.”

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ISDD has helped turn those heavy days into hopeful ones. Tutoring has boosted Serenity and Sam’s grades and confidence, while positive affirmations with grandma are helping the children stand up to bullies and see themselves as strong, bright, and successful. Lyft passes, groceries, furniture, and emergency assistance have lightened the burden of daily survival. Most importantly, ISDD’s support groups remind this family they are not alone.

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The children are thriving in ways big and small. Grades are improving. Focus is returning. Friday night movie nights, once on hold, are beginning to make a comeback. And with every laugh, every accomplishment, and every goal spoken aloud, Ms. Henry sees her daughter’s legacy living on.

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Her hopes for the children are as bold as their own: college, careers, confidence, and lives filled with joy. “My job is to be their cheerleader,” she says. “To push them, to love them, to make sure they never limit themselves.”

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During Kinship Care Awareness Month, ISDD honors families like this one. Families where grandparents, aunts, uncles, and close relatives step in to raise children when parents cannot. Their challenges are real, from grief to finances to crowded homes. But their triumphs are just as real, and with the support of donors, ISDD is helping them shine.

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To ISDD supporters, Ms. Henry shares this message: “Thank you for helping me keep that promise. You are part of the reason my grandchildren can stay together and look forward to a better future.”