Gregory and his wife may have expected a quieter season of life after more than 40 years of marriage, but today their home is bustling with sound and activity.

They have been raising five grandchildren and creating a home filled with love, support, and structure. Stories like Gregory’s highlight a larger reality: too many families throughout North Carolina are navigating crises without the support they need. Grandparents and relatives are stepping in every day to keep children safe and families connected, often while facing significant emotional, financial, and logistical challenges themselves. At NC Child, we work to change the systems that impact families like Gregory’s by advocating for policies that strengthen economic security, improve access to health and mental health care, support kinship caregivers, and help children remain safely connected to family and community. This Father’s Day, we honor fathers, grandfathers, and caregivers like Gregory who step up when children need them most. We invite you to help build a North Carolina where every family has the support they need to create the stability and resources for all our children to thrive by visiting ncchild.org/give today.