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Why Kinship Kollective & Raising Royalty?
We are Necessary, Unique, and Required!
Across Massachusetts—and especially in communities like Springfield, Pittsfield, Worcester, Holyoke, and Chicopee—too many youth are falling through the cracks of broken systems. Behind every child struggling in school, involved with the courts, or facing homelessness, there is often a family in crisis: grandparents raising grandkids after incarceration, aunts stepping in after overdose, or siblings parenting siblings after trauma.
Kinship Kollective x Raising Royalty was born out of this reality—not to offer bandaids, but to rebuild the village.
What makes us necessary is the urgent rise in kinship caregiving, youth trauma, and disconnected families. What makes us unique is our full-circle, faith-rooted approach that combines real-world wraparound services with culturally responsive life skills curriculum written by people who’ve lived it. And what makes us required is this:
We are not a one-size-fits-all program. We are a lifeline—designed to educate, empower, and restore families impacted by addiction, incarceration, grief, and loss.
Through Raising Royalty’s powerful book series and workshops, youth learn to name their trauma, build character, and pursue healing and purpose. Through Kinship Kollective, caregivers receive the support, knowledge, and voice they need to raise children in a world they didn’t expect to parent in again. Together, we provide not just programs—but transformation.
COnversations with Raising royalty & kinship kollective
Loss of Parents / Parental Incarceration
Loss of Parents / Parental Incarceration
Loss of Parents / Parental Incarceration
- 2.7 million U.S. children have an incarcerated parent—nearly 1 in 27 children—disproportionately affecting BIPOC families
- Those with incarcerated parents are up to six times more likely to develop substance use disorders and twice as likely to face anxiety
Homelessness & Housing Instability
Loss of Parents / Parental Incarceration
Loss of Parents / Parental Incarceration
- About 1 in 30 teens (ages 13–17) face homelessness each year
- Among youth aging out of foster care, 20% become homeless within four years .
Substance Use & Addiction
Loss of Parents / Parental Incarceration
Addiction, Gambling, Pornography & Risk Behaviors
- Roughly 26% of homeless individuals struggle with drug addiction, and 9× are at risk of overdose
- Youth exposed to parental substance use face elevated risks of early use and addiction, with no safe environment at home.
Addiction, Gambling, Pornography & Risk Behaviors
High School Dropout / Educational Disengagement/Mental & Emotional Health
Addiction, Gambling, Pornography & Risk Behaviors
Exposure to pornography—a known risk factor for aggressive behavior or unhealthy sexual attitudes—has increased, especially among low-income urban youth
High School Dropout / Educational Disengagement/Mental & Emotional Health
High School Dropout / Educational Disengagement/Mental & Emotional Health
High School Dropout / Educational Disengagement/Mental & Emotional Health
- Foster youth have an 8% dropout rate, compared to 3% for peers
- Students who have experienced homelessness graduate at roughly 68%, several points lower than their peers
Involvement in Illicit Behavior / Juvenile Justice
High School Dropout / Educational Disengagement/Mental & Emotional Health
High School Dropout / Educational Disengagement/Mental & Emotional Health
- Approximately 1,900 minors are held daily in adult jails/prisons, signaling gaps in prevention and support
- Youth with a history of homelessness, foster care, or parental incarceration are at higher risk of system involvement.
How Kinship Kollective x Raising Royalty Addresses the Most Pressing Youth Crises
In a time when youth are facing increasing trauma, disconnection, and instability, Kinship Kollective x Raising Royalty provides a holistic, boots-on-the-ground solution. Our integrated model addresses six of the most statistically urgent risk areas for children and teens—not in theory, but in action, every day.
Parental Loss & Incarceration
We support youth and families navigating the trauma of parental addiction, incarceration, deportation, or death through:
- Kinship Circles—biweekly support groups for grandparents and kin caregivers, paired with parallel youth sessions focused on grief, resilience, and emotional expression.
- Crisis Navigation—one-on-one family advocacy to connect kin families with legal support, emergency aid, and school-based resources.
- Our staff includes caregivers and alumni with lived experience, who understand the emotional complexity of kinship care.
School Disconnection & Dropout
We re-engage disengaged youth by meeting them where they are:
- Raising Royalty Curriculum—interactive workbooks on purpose, leadership, and life skills, used in workshops and 1:1 mentoring sessions.
- Educational Pathway Navigation—support accessing Job Corps, GED, alternative learning, tutoring, and career tracks, tailored for youth facing adversity.
- Youth Publishing Projects—writing-based healing sessions where teens tell their story, rebuild identity, and reimagine the future.
Homelessness & Housing Instability
Kinship Kollective serves as a soft landing for youth experiencing housing crises:
- Drop-In Support—warm meals, hygiene kits, and rest spaces are offered to youth in crisis.
- Street Outreach—our team builds relationships with disconnected teens, offering mobile support and consistent check-ins.
- We offer transportation assistance, family reunification help, and emergency aid referrals through trusted partners.
Addiction & Substance Use
Our programs approach substance-use education with subtlety, compassion, and faith:
- Raising Royalty Books include age-appropriate content on temptation, peer pressure, identity, and self-control.
- “Educate Yourself” Youth Campaign—a peer-led media initiative that uses real stories to empower prevention.
- Caregiver Training—resources for guardians on spotting warning signs, setting boundaries, and having hard conversations with love.
Addiction, Gambling, Pornography & Digital Risk
We address digital dangers through faith-forward, reality-based curriculum:
- Workshops and books explore self-worth, body image, boundaries, and internet safety.
- Parent & Kin Literacy Circles empower adults to have open, informed conversations with youth about sex, media, and online exploitation.
- We connect purity with purpose, teaching that protection starts with truth, not fear.
Mental Health, Anger Management, Managing Emotions, System Involvement & Criminalization
Our programs prevent system entry through intervention and redirection:
- Behavior Management Workshops cover anger, conflict resolution, and identity building.
- We connect youth to legal aid clinics, restorative circles, and family coaching sessions.
- We collaborate with schools, courts, churches, and probation departments to offer wraparound, faith-rooted alternatives to punitive responses.