GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN
Grandparents and other relatives raising a child when the child’s parents are unable or unwilling to do so is Kinship Care. This family form is growing and receiving considerable attention of policy makers, social service providers and researchers. In Michigan over 200,000 children are raised in Kinship Care. They are from all walks of life and all cultural and economic groups. Kinship caregivers range from 30-90 years of age. Most have cared for the children 5 years or longer and are raising 1-2 children. The average income is between $15,000 and $25,000. The majority of kinship caregivers are single women. What most have in common, is that they are raising children that most likely, they did not expect to be raising.
Bridging Generations a support group for Kinship Caregivers that meets every 3rd Wednesday at Detroit Area Agency on Aging (DAAA) at 10:00 A.M. The people in this support group are putting all aside so they may do what is best for the children. In this support group Kinship Caregiver will find the support they need to understand their situation, to hear their needs and find hope. A special fellowship is formed because of shared experiences and the participants find strength in the group.
Since 2001, the Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Committee (GRGC), which is a network of local agencies, met the first Wednesday of the month at the Detroit Area Agency on Aging to discuss important issues affecting kinship care. This collaborative comes together to support each other, share information and resources that will help the kinship caregivers all under the direction of the chairperson, Juanita Bridgewater, President of Bridging Communities. Under the sponsorship of the DAAA, the GRGC also collaborates on activities to provide respite, entertainment and social outings for grandparents with and without the grandchildren. The annual events are:
Holiday Gift Card Distribution
- “Just for You” Ball/Mother's Day Event
- Michigan Kinship Care Conference and Grandfamily Reunion
- "Back to School" Picnic
Black History Month Celebration
- Salute Dinner and Grandfamily Celebration
- Respite Care Retreat
For more information call the DAAA at (313) 446-4444 ask for Veronica Padmos at extension 5828.
GRANDPARENTS RAISING GRANDCHILDREN COMMITTEE
Adult Well-Being Services
Bridging Generations
City of Detroit Department of Human Services
Detroit Area Agency on Aging
Neighborhood Services Organization
Wayne State University Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute
Women’s Informal Network