A St. Louis-advocacy group is stepping in to try to ease the pain
More and more grandparents like Annette Washington are filling the shoes as parents to their children’s’ kids – at a tremendous emotional and financial toll.
Washington, 49, has had guardianship over the three grandchildren for five years, having to go to hospital to get the youngest at birth. The children belong to her youngest daughter, who now is 26 years old, and who was in prison during her pregnancy. The middle child has been living with her since he was eight months old.
The baby’s father couldn’t take custody because of a criminal record, leaving her with no other choice but to step in. Washington’s other 12 grandchildren are well taken care of by their responsible parents.
At the same time, Washington has been dealing with serious health issues related to her stomach, liver and kidney – at one point forcing hospital stays almost every other week. She said that since her grandkids have been living with her, she has endured nine surgeries, including nine days in a medically induced coma.
Financially, it has been tough. She receives social security benefits; money from the federal program called TANF – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and works a part-time job getting less than 16 hours a week at $8.75 per hour.
Annette got a .25-cent raise on her job, which caused her food stamp allocation for four people to be reduced more than $250 every month.
Additionally, she uses her money from her social security to not only pay for the reduced tuition, but also for bus passes, co-pay day care, clothing and other living expenses.
Washington doesn’t quality for financial support from state social service programs because she volunteered to take guardianship of her grandkids instead of court-ordered custody.
“It’s crazy. The system is screwed up,” she said. “I still have to use cash. It’s four of us. I still have to live. You can’t live no where for free.”
Through it all, Washington is doing what she’s doing for her grandkids out of love and the hope of giving them a viable future.
“Those are my grandbabies – my youngest child kids,” she said. “They are my world.”
Washington’s case is not unique. As new 2010 U.S. Census data is tabulated, the 2000 census tells us what’s ahead for grandparents as parents
In the St. Louis metro area 10 years ago, there were some 11,700 grandparents responsible for raising their grandchildren. Reasons include abandonment, incarceration and abuse.
The St. Louis based GAP – Grandparents as Parents Support Project serves those grandparent caregivers, great- grandparent caregivers that need assistance or resources to raise their grandchildren to be healthy and productive. GAP St. Louis has served only about 160 of these grandparents.
GAP Support Project serves caregivers in St. Louis city and county who are in need of assistance and resources. Programs include advocacy, education and training, case management and referrals.
GAP executive director, Pamela Talley, said two out of three grandparents raising grandchildren are elderly or disabled, and are receiving inadequate support.
“The situation is direr as grandparents are being pushed to the edge in trying to raise their grandchildren,” Talley said. “Like Ms. Washington, many grandparents are struggling but they do it out of love and the desire to do the right thing for their grandchildren’s sake. But they need help. That’s what we’re trying to provide.”
To help out with resources, to become an advocate, to make a financial contribution or if you know a grandparent in need, call Talley 314.535.1354 or visit www.gapsupportproject.org.
More and more grandparents like Annette Washington are filling the shoes as parents to their children’s’ kids – at a tremendous emotional and financial toll.
Washington, 49, has had guardianship over the three grandchildren for five years, having to go to hospital to get the youngest at birth. The children belong to her youngest daughter, who now is 26 years old, and who was in prison during her pregnancy. The middle child has been living with her since he was eight months old.
The baby’s father couldn’t take custody because of a criminal record, leaving her with no other choice but to step in. Washington’s other 12 grandchildren are well taken care of by their responsible parents.
At the same time, Washington has been dealing with serious health issues related to her stomach, liver and kidney – at one point forcing hospital stays almost every other week. She said that since her grandkids have been living with her, she has endured nine surgeries, including nine days in a medically induced coma.
Financially, it has been tough. She receives social security benefits; money from the federal program called TANF – Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and works a part-time job getting less than 16 hours a week at $8.75 per hour.
Annette got a .25-cent raise on her job, which caused her food stamp allocation for four people to be reduced more than $250 every month.
Additionally, she uses her money from her social security to not only pay for the reduced tuition, but also for bus passes, co-pay day care, clothing and other living expenses.
Washington doesn’t quality for financial support from state social service programs because she volunteered to take guardianship of her grandkids instead of court-ordered custody.
“It’s crazy. The system is screwed up,” she said. “I still have to use cash. It’s four of us. I still have to live. You can’t live no where for free.”
Through it all, Washington is doing what she’s doing for her grandkids out of love and the hope of giving them a viable future.
“Those are my grandbabies – my youngest child kids,” she said. “They are my world.”
Washington’s case is not unique. As new 2010 U.S. Census data is tabulated, the 2000 census tells us what’s ahead for grandparents as parents
In the St. Louis metro area 10 years ago, there were some 11,700 grandparents responsible for raising their grandchildren. Reasons include abandonment, incarceration and abuse.
The St. Louis based GAP – Grandparents as Parents Support Project serves those grandparent caregivers, great- grandparent caregivers that need assistance or resources to raise their grandchildren to be healthy and productive. GAP St. Louis has served only about 160 of these grandparents.
GAP Support Project serves caregivers in St. Louis city and county who are in need of assistance and resources. Programs include advocacy, education and training, case management and referrals.
GAP executive director, Pamela Talley, said two out of three grandparents raising grandchildren are elderly or disabled, and are receiving inadequate support.
“The situation is direr as grandparents are being pushed to the edge in trying to raise their grandchildren,” Talley said. “Like Ms. Washington, many grandparents are struggling but they do it out of love and the desire to do the right thing for their grandchildren’s sake. But they need help. That’s what we’re trying to provide.”
To help out with resources, to become an advocate, to make a financial contribution or if you know a grandparent in need, call Talley 314.535.1354 or visit www.gapsupportproject.org.
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