Did you know there was a "Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren?"

Neither did I. It appeared just about the time I was starting my reporting so it slipped by the radar then.

"On July 8, 2008, the Child Advocate bill was signed into law which included the establishment of the Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (Section 1 of Chapter 176, the Acts of 2008 M.G.L. Chapter 3, section 69). This legislation calls for a permanent commission on the status of grandparents raising grandchildren which consists of 15 individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to grandparents."

"The purpose of this Commission is to be a resource to the Commonwealth on issues affecting grandparents raising grandchildren, and relatives, other than parents, raising kin."

Follow them on Twitter -> https://twitter.com/massachsettsgrg

Visit their web page for more info -> 

https://www.massgrg.com/massgrg_2019/about_the_commission.html#

Did you know there was a "Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren?"

Grandparents raising grandchildren: You are not alone. from kyle vining on Vimeo.

Sharing good advice for parents (video)

Maria Popova (@brainpicker) tweeted on Wed, Jul 07, 2021:

Multiple readers sent me this Sweet Honey in the Rock adaptation of the Gibran poem, feeding my ecstatic love of poems set to music (when done right): https://t.co/p7lNqdlHhA

For more goodness from Maria visit her page to subscribe in one (or more) way to her "brain pickings"  https://www.brainpickings.org/

Remote Learning Support Sessions for Parents & Guardians

Remote Learning Support Sessions for Parents & Guardians

September 22nd - 24th

The FPS Digital Learning Integrationists will be holding Parent/Guardian support sessions throughout the year.

Our first session, "Navigating the Remote Learning Environment", will focus on the basics of navigating Google Classroom and Google Meetings. 

Click here for the schedule and session links 

Remote Learning Support Sessions for Parents & Guardians

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group Kicks Off in Franklin

A new support group for grandparents raising grandchildren is launching in Franklin this April. A collaboration with the SAFE Coalition and the Hockomock Area YMCA, the group provides information, resources, and support for grandparents and kinship caregivers. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren begins on Wednesday, April 10 from 6:30 – 7:30 PM and the group will meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month moving forward.

The program is being offered at the Bernon Family Branch of the Hockomock Area YMCA at 45 Forge Hill Road in Franklin. It will be an ideal forum for a group of people with common experiences or concerns to provide support, compassion, comfort and understanding, encouragement, and advice to each other on issues affecting grandparents and all relatives raising grandchildren. All area residents from surrounding communities are welcome to participate in this free program.

“In meeting and talking with constituents throughout the district, I have encountered many grandparents who have taken on the role as the primary caregiver for their grandchildren and who are looking for additional support and encouragement,” noted Representative Jeffrey N. Roy (D-Franklin). “This group will show them that they are not alone and that there are many families in our area that share their experience. It’s great to once again have the SAFE Coalition and the Hockomock Area YMCA as partners in dealing with the fallout from the disease of addiction, and we are grateful for the fact that they are providing a forum for help, compassion, and guidance.”

The group will be facilitated by Meredith Poulten, a school counselor, social worker and member of the SAFE Coalition Board of Directors. “I am proud that the SAFE Coalition is able to partner with the Hockomock Area YMCA in providing a new approach to aiding those effected by substance use disorder,” said Jennifer Knight, President of the SAFE Coalition. “Grandparents raising grandchildren has been an underserved population and this style of community collaboration only enhances options for healing and for families as a whole to gain support.”

Light refreshments will be provided and child care at the Y is available for the meeting. Please contact the Y in advance if child care is needed 508-528-8708. For more information on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, email Meredith Poulten at mpoulten@verizon.net.

About the Hockomock Area YMCA:

Where Cause Meets Community. At the Hockomock Area YMCA, strengthening community is our cause. The Hockomock Area YMCA is an organization of men, women, and children sharing a commitment to nurture the potential of kids, promote healthy living, and foster a sense of social responsibility.

The Hockomock Area YMCA is committed to partnering and collaborating with others to create and deliver lasting personal and social change in the 15 communities they are privileged to serve. The Hockomock Area YMCA is a not-for-profit charitable cause-driven organization with facilities in North Attleboro, Foxboro, Franklin, and Mansfield. For more information visit hockymca.org.

A collaboration with the SAFE Coalition and the Hockomock Area YMCA

Franklin-based "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren" support group launching April 10 at the Y

Starting on April 10 the Franklin Y will host a bi-monthly meeting of a support group called Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. This program is a collaboration between the Y, the SAFE Coalition, and the state Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren. 

There is a population of grandparents who are being awarded custody of their grandchildren as their own children deal with substance abuse disorder issues. Many of them are 60 years old or younger and still working, limiting their time to access resources to guide them through raising kids again, while dealing with the continuing grief of knowing that their children's situation is at the point where the courts have taken away their parental custody.

This group will provide information, resources, and support for grandparents and kinship caregivers. It will meet on the 2nd and 4th Wednesdays of the month at the Franklin Y, 45 Forge Hill Road, from 6:30 – 7:30 PM. 

The group will be facilitated by a SAFE Coalition Board of Director and trained social worker, Meredith Poulten. The Y will provide child care to grandparents who need to bring their grandchildren with them in order to make the meeting.

Please see the flyer for more information. Get a copy of the flyer here:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B0wjbnXDBhczaVpsQUdhLWNyakVwcy1DZ3NkS2VLaGVPdWxz/view?usp=sharing

Franklin-based "Grandparents Raising Grandchildren" support group launching April 10 at the Y