Charlene's Circle of Support | Anne Arundel County Government

Charlene’s Circle of Support was founded in 2023 by sisters Chanay Banks, Executive Director, and Juanita Banks-Whittington, in commemoration of their mother, Charlene. CCOS’ mission is to empower kinship caregivers and youth impacted by a parent’s struggle with mental illness, substance use, or incarceration by building resilience and well-being. Kinship care occurs when relatives or trusted family friends step up to raise children when parents cannot, keeping children connected to family, culture, and community while helping prevent foster care placement.

The founders’ childhoods were shaped by kinship care. Their lived experience strengthens trust with families who often feel unseen or unsupported by traditional systems. Over the past two years, CCOS has built the foundation of its Kin-First Ecosystem in alignment with Governor Wes Moore’s Kin-First Initiative, which prioritizes keeping children safely with family whenever possible and strengthening caregiver resources.

CCOS programs provide holistic support to fill service gaps in kinship care for both caregivers and youth, built around four key pillars: Healing, Stability, Connection, & Access. Core programming includes Family Care Packages, the “I Matter” Empowerment Program, and Wellness Groups. The care packages provide families with household essentials, hygiene items, wellness kits, and nutritious foods to reduce hardships and increase household stability. The empowerment program brings caregivers and youth together through identity-building, creative expression, and healing-centered activities. The wellness groups offer peer support and stress-reduction tools to support the overall wellbeing of families. In addition, CCOS will launch Maryland’s first Kinship Support Hub this year, based out of 41 Community Place. This centralized, community-based hub is designed specifically for kinship families, where they can access resources, peer support, and wellness-building programs all in one place.

CCOS is honored to join the Nonprofit Center community and looks forward to collaborating with neighbors, partners, volunteers, and supporters who believe in keeping families together. To learn more about CCOS, their programs, and ways to get involved, visit their website. They can also be found on Instagram and Facebook. Any further questions can be directed to their email info@charlenescircle.org or the Contact Us page on their website.