As we revisit G4G, we have learned that perseverance always pays off!

Love can be defined as a strong feeling of deep affection.

This must be the most difficult blog I’ve written to date. As someone who is childless in their mid-30’s, I have been debating how I need to approach this topic for weeks. It is not to say I have little empathy for those who are not able to raise their own child, but rather I have too much empathy for the child who was dealt this lot in life. I’ll never forget my sociology professor my freshman year of college stated that, “we choose our parents”. I cannot imagine any child choosing for their parents to be absent in their lives. With all this being said, Gratitude 4 Grandparents is the silver lining in these child’s lives.

You may be wondering what Gratitude 4 Grandparents LLC (G4G) is. It is, more or less, a support group for grandparents who unexpectedly have become the primary caregiver to their grandchild or grandchildren. This could be because of death, addiction or mental health. Because of the situation at hand, there is no monetary funding from the government. When you are retired and on a fixed income it can be quite difficult to take on raising a child.

In some states and counties, the laws have not caught up to current day issues. With the opioid crisis we are currently facing, family caregivers need support, emotionally, financially and physically, to help keep their families together. Because of this, G4G was formed and is now a non-profit and can accept donations. The donations can be anything from Christmas and birthday gifts, to money for food and clothing. No small deed goes unnoticed.

G4G is also striving for policy change and legislation on both the state and federal levels to aid qualified grandparents looking to gain custody and control of a minor grandchild who is physically, mentally or morally abused and/or neglected. They also want to publicize their plight, so more community services and opportunities are available to grandparents who must assume the parent role. As G4G keeps growing, we’ll update this entry with any additional information. Be thankful for all you have today because you do not know what tomorrow brings.

If you are a grandparent and would like support, both emotionally and financially, please feel free to reach out to Rhea at rheaek@gmail.com.

*It has been brought to our attention that G4G has a new website! If you visit http://www.gratitude4grandparents.com/ you can see how you can get support, help donate, become more involved, and keep up to date on their social media accounts! Please keep them in mind during the season of giving coming up.