President's Message

My name is Ms. Eileen Brown. I am the President of Grands As Parents, Inc. (G.A. P’s), a non-profit organization
that supports and advocates for the rights of grandparents raising their grandchildren. Our perfect picture of a
family is usually that of a father, a mother, and a child or children. But in today's world, that picture doesn't
always reflect reality. Many older Americans in or approaching retirement suddenly find themselves caring for
and raising their grandchild. A grandparent stepping in to raise grandchildren is not a new development. What is
new is the growth in this phenomenon.

In 1998, there were over 2.5 million grandparent-headed families with or without parents present. In Philadelphia,
an estimated 62,000 children are living with a grandparent. There are many reasons why grandparents step in to
care for their grandchildren. Some of the reasons are death of parents, incarceration of parents, substance abuse of
parents, teen pregnancy, family violence, and HIV/AIDS to name a few. The grandparents are motivated by the
love they feel for their grandchildren and step in to fill the gap created by the problem. These grandparents also do
this to keep their grandchildren out of the system.

Grandparent caregivers face a myriad of challenges in nearly all aspects of their lives when they assume the role of
a parent. They are prone to psychological and emotional strain as well as feelings of helplessness and isolation.
Many grandparents raising grandchildren also face financial problems. Grandparent caregivers are more likely to
live in poverty than a grandparent not raising grandchildren. They often neglect their own physical and emotional
health because they give priority to the needs of their grandchildren. Often the grandchildren in their care have
unmet physical, emotional, and developmental needs that require special assistance.
Grandparents raising grandchildren encounter problems that can require them to seek legal custody to make
decisions on behalf of their grandchildren. Grandparents can also find themselves in need of respite services,
affordable housing, home repairs, and access to medical care.
G.A. P’s provides the following services: social, recreational, and cultural activities.
Grands As Parents, Inc., needs the help and support of people like yourself to continue to do the work that they
we were created to do. I would greatly appreciate it if you could see it in your heart to make a monetary donation
to our organization it would help us continue to make our motto "Help a Child Keep A Smile”, possible.