Support Children Being Raised By

Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children

Attend the Third National GrandRally at the U.S. Capitol

On May 7, 2008, more than one thousand grandparents and other relatives raising children will gather at the U.S. Capitol to highlight their important role in raising children and their need for help from family, friends, their communities, state and national organizations and agencies and elected officials. AARP, Child Welfare League of America, Children's Defense Fund, Generations United, GrandFamilies of America, and the National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights will co-sponsor the Third National GrandRally for Grandparents and Other Relatives Raising Children. One thousand grandparents and other relatives from 41 states rallied in Washington in 2005.

Across the country 4.5 million children live in households headed by grandparents and an additional 1.5 million live in households headed by other relatives. About 2 out of 5 of these children are there without their parents present. Sometimes a parent has died. In other cases, substance abuse or mental health disorders have afflicted parents. Some parents are incarcerated. Others are serving in the military. These grandparents and other relatives often have made great sacrifices to help care for and protect these children and would have it no other way. Only a small proportion of these children are in foster care. Many relatives hope they can continue to care for the children and keep them out of foster care, but they need help.

The GrandRally is a chance for relative caregivers to see that they are not alone and that they have allies and supporters in their own states and across the country. It energizes them to continue to meet their day to day challenges and to support broader efforts to protect and support their children and others. Inspired by the first GrandRally, caregivers in different states accomplished the following:

· Established support groups in communities for relative caregivers and for the children and teens they are raising

· Created kinship navigator programs to help relative caregivers connect their children with services and supports for which they are eligible

· Participated in training sessions to learn more about how to access the services and supports their children need

· Organized state and local coalitions of relative caregivers to help make the case for expanded services and support for their children

· Held State GrandRallies or otherwise educated state policymakers about the help needed by children in their care and testified at legislative hearings, which has resulted in important improvements for children

· Conducted statewide kinship care conferences

· Returned to Washington, D.C. to share their stories at Congressional briefings.