09/28/2026
As Kinship Month winds down, we want to shoutout our partners at Oregon Kinship Navigator (OKN).
OKN, part of GOBHI, provides resources, support groups and guidance to kinship families, relative caregivers and resource parents.
Staff at OKN meet kinship families with empathy and warmth during a time that can be overwhelming.
Kinship Family Navigator Specialist Terry Santini understands what people are going through, because she has lived through similar experiences. She became the legal guardian for her granddaughter before taking a job with Oregon Kinship Navigator. At 64, she does not plan on retiring anytime soon.
Kinship care is important to her because, she said, “providing kids with that loving, safe family connection is so important.”
People calling OKN find staff ready to listen, provide resources and support. Terry says she knows how much it means to find people who understand.
“People say when they call, it feels like a big hug through the phone. I allow them to cry on my shoulder. I am there for them. I’m going through similar things. When you call OKN, you become part of our village. That’s the reality of what it takes. Together we can do this.”
Learn more about OKN: https://oregonkinshipnavigator.org/
