DHS Celebrates the 2026 Kinship Caregiver of the Year Award Winners

Each September, the Department of Human Services’ Division of Family & Children Services (DFCS) joins the nation in observing National Kinship Care Month, a time to honor the grandparents, relatives, and close family friends who provide a stable, loving environment while a child’s parents are working toward reunification.  

Children are placed in foster care when a juvenile court judge deems it necessary if their safety is compromised at home. Their parents then partner alongside DFCS to address these issues and set goals to hopefully have a successful reunification. When identifying placement options for children placed in foster care, DFCS first seeks for a kinship or fictive kinship caregiver which is a relative or non-relative adult who has a long-standing relationship or bond with a child. Kinship caregivers include grandparents, aunts and uncles, older siblings, close family friends, etc. Placing children with kinship caregivers helps them remain with the people they love and in communities they know, providing stability and strengthening sense of belonging.

The State of Georgia could not thrive without our kinship caregivers’ commitment to strengthening Georgia’s children and families. Currently in Georgia, there are over 2,600 children in kinship foster care. To recognize kinship caregivers who have gone above and beyond in their support of children, DFCS’s Caregiver Recruitment and Retention Unit selected a 2026 Kinship Caregiver of the Year award winner from each of the 14 DFCS regions across the state. DFCS recognized these winners and kinship caregivers across the state at the 2026 Virtual Kinship Caregiver of the Year Awards on Sept. 9.

Congratulations to the 2026 Kinship Caregiver of the Year Award Winners:

Region 1: Corey and Kayla “Jordan” Douthitt  

The Douthitts opened their home for one child in kinship placement, in addition to welcoming other children in care. They temporarily took in a sibling group who needed emergency placement while DFCS approved a relative placement. Their dedication goes beyond meeting daily needs. They have provided a loving and safe environment, helping their kinship placement to thrive.

Region 2: Jannet Allen

Jannet is a devoted caregiver and grandmother. She has cared for her granddaughter since she was an infant and retained guardianship. Her granddaughter is wheelchair-dependent and requires significant assistance with her daily care and mobility. Now at 80, Jannet continues to serve as her granddaughter’s only caregiver. Despite the physical challenges that come with caregiving at her age, Jannet remains unwavering in her commitment to her granddaughter.

Region 3: Sharon Fair  

Sharon has been a kinship caregiver for four years, but her commitment to caring for children started long before. Prior to caring for her current kinship placement, she raised her children into adulthood. She cares for her relative child as though he were her own and takes him on family trips, to therapy, and medical appointments. She plans to adopt her relative child and fully make him a member of the family.  

Region 4: Dionte and Shaundrell Westbrook

Dionte and Shaundrell understand that children thrive when placed with family. Currently, they are kinship caregivers for three of their grandchildren. They are happy to provide a stable environment for the children while the biological parents are unable to do so. The Westbrooks are hopeful for reunification; however, they plan to adopt the children if reunification is not possible.

Region 5: Jeremy Grant

Jeremy currently serves as a kinship caregiver for his infant grandson. Becoming the primary caregiver for a newborn is a major adjustment. For Jeremy, it meant returning to the world of infant care after many years, while also continuing to work his full-time job and navigating the uncertainty of foster care. Despite these challenges, Jeremy quickly created the stability and routine his grandson needed. He arranged daycare, made sure the child received appropriate pediatric care, learned and implemented feeding and daily care routines, and took on countless other responsibilities that come with providing care for an infant, managing everything largely on his own.

Region 6: Michelle Rawls  

Since becoming a kinship caregiver in 2022, Michelle has adopted her niece and opened her heart and home to preteens and teens in the Region 6 area. She has assisted with temporary, emergency, short-term, and long-term care. Recently, Michelle accepted placement of a sibling group of two brothers to allow them to remain in their community and school. Ms. Rawls is a testament of what can be achieved when we all work together!

Region 7: Melissa Reynolds  

Melissa is the great-aunt and guardian of five children who were placed in her care following the death of their maternal grandmother. The children had already experienced the devastating loss of their mother several years ago, making the loss of their grandmother another significant and heartbreaking transition in their lives. Melissa stepped forward to provide the children with the love, stability, and support they needed during this difficult time. Melissa continues to provide full-time care for all five children, demonstrating exceptional commitment, resilience, strength, and dedication to their well-being. She stepped forward when her family needed her most and embraced the responsibility of caring for five children during a time of loss and uncertainty.

Region 8: Sherita Armstrong  

Recently becoming the legal guardian of her two nieces, Sherita knows how important family ties are. Sherita describes being their aunt as a privilege and is grateful for the opportunity to play such an important role in their lives. She takes pride in being a positive role model for the girls and in helping them understand that their past does not have to define their future. Through her continued support, guidance, and unconditional love, she is helping her nieces build confidence, develop healthy relationships, and build a brighter future. Their progress is a testament to the difference that a committed caregiver, a stable home, and a strong family connection can make in a child’s life.

Region 9: Ailex and Hollie Poindexter  

Ailex and Hollie went through the process of opening their home in 2024 as a fictive kin placement for a child diagnosed with autism. Mr. and Mrs. Poindexter have provided excellent care for him and have enrolled him in a daycare that is in another county, quite a drive away from their home, so that he can receive therapy at the daycare. The Poindexters are committed and looking forward to finalizing their adoption. They also provided short respite for a sibling group until they were reunified. They have been able to remain in contact with those children, and they continue to visit.

Region 10: Barbara Perrine

Barbara Perrine, aka Aunt B, was sitting beside her husband in an Alabama medical center when DFCS called with another urgent need: four children needed immediate placement, or they could face being separated. Without hesitation, Barbara asked the agency to hold the children for just one hour so she could drive back and get to them. In that single moment, she made a commitment that would change all their lives. For Barbara, the kinship caregiver journey is about providing stability, love, belonging, and assurance. Barbara’s story is a powerful example of fictive kin at its best, a reminder that family is not always defined by blood. When asked about the children, Barbara simply says, “They are my babies. They call me Aunt B, and I will always be their Aunt B.”

Region 11: Paul and Thelma Brown

Paul and Thelma have demonstrated a longstanding commitment to children and families. They have been an approved foster home since 2021. Prior to completing the foster home approval process, they were granted guardianship of their grandson in March 2019. They made the decision to convert their home to a Partnership Parent home so they could continue helping other children within their community. Over the past five years, they have served seven children, three of whom had long-term placements. The Browns' history demonstrates their commitment to family connections, and their willingness to support children in need.

Region 12: Janice Johnson  

Janice began her adventure as a kinship caregiver in late 2025 by caring for her granddaughter. Her granddaughter was successfully reunified, but Janice has remained committed to becoming a foster parent for other children and youth in need. She is currently changing her home to accommodate and help up to two more children. She is excited to partner with the agency to help create a safe space for children while working on reunification with parents.

Region 13: Antonio Turner  

Antonio obtained custody of his biological daughter while also becoming an approved kinship caregiver for his daughter’s five older sisters. Antonio has changed his entire lifestyle to meet the needs of the girls. He has put them first to ensure their happiness, safety, and well-being. Antonio has provided a soft-landing spot for the girls to be comfortable, feel safe, be nurtured, guided, and to be loved. He works in partnership with DFCS and does whatever he can to support reunification. However, he does not want their forever to be in foster care. Antonio wants the girls to have a permanent forever home with him no matter what the future brings.

Region 14: Asia Everson  

Asia is a steady and reliable kinship caregiver. She is a single caregiver working full-time, who has covered every doctor’s appointment, and enrichment activities out of her own pocket. She was recommended as a fictive kin placement by the child’s former foster parent because of her advocacy and dedication.

Related to: 

• Division of Family & Children Services