Grandfamilies COVID-19 Response Fund

“If something happens to us, what happens to the children?”

Cassandra Gentry, grandmother raising two grandchildren and GRAND Voices Network member

The Response Fund:

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, grandfamilies faced barriers to housing, health care, food, and financial assistance. The current crisis has heightened the fragility of these households and exacerbated the challenges they face. Grandfamilies urgently need services and supports without which many of the children in these unique families may end up in foster care, thereby overwhelming that system.

Listening to our national network of grandfamilies and advocates, we identified that support for caregivers and children could include, but not be limited to, cash, gift cards or concrete goods to the families or payments made on their behalf for assistance in the following areas:

• Housing – mortgage payments; rent payments; other housing costs, including utilities and propane;
• Food and nutrition;
• Technology hardware, phones, data, minutes, and access to the internet in order to ensure behavioral health, educational and other service needs are met;
• Books, games, educational toys/activities, art supplies, other items to help keep children engaged throughout the day;
• Transportation – vehicle repairs; gas; public transportation vouchers;
• Legal expenses and court fees concerning the care of the children;
• Health and hygiene supplies, including diapers; and,
• Other assistance needed by the caregivers and/or children in the families.

Response Fund Grants:

Generations United has distributed

• 39 laptops to grandfamilies
• 52 grants ranging from $150 to $700 to grandfamilies and nonprofits that serve them totaling $108,500

Support:

When funds are available Generations United’s Grandfamilies COVID response fund provides support grandfamilies impacted by COVID-19 who are part of our GRAND Voices network or who have been referred through the network. We do not accept unsolicited proposals. For information about supports and services for grandfamilies in your state or community, visit www.grandfactsheets.org.