Kinship Grant Still Available for Grandparents Caring for Loved Ones

For grandparents and relatives raising grandchildren or related family members, the Alpena Senior Citizens Center wants you to know that they are there for your.

The Seniors Citizens Center held a kinship grant meeting to help grandparents and great grandparents raising grandchildren with applying for the mini grant program.

The program is designed to help families who may need some assistance in taking care of their loved ones.

The main need was for sport related items.

“If they want to participate in sports, that seemed to be the big interest today was gymnastics, and swimming, and dance lessons. All the sports attire that goes along with, the mini grants program can help supply that so kids can participate just like anybody else,” MMAP Counselor, Kitty Glomski said.

According to the 2015 American Community Survey Census, there are 122 grandparent households in Alpena County living in with one or more of their grandchildren.

The meeting has a lot of advantages including meeting other grandparents in the area caring for their grandchildren. Most of the families were taking care of elementary aged grandchildren and great grandchildren. Most of the families in need of help are on a fixed income. When adding more relatives to the family it can be stressful.

“You have seniors that are on a fixed income. If you add one more person to their circle of their family it does add a burden. So now the (caregiver) is involved with school activities and it’s a little more elevated lifestyle, active lifestyle again that they didn’t have before those children arrived. Now they have doctors appointments and school programs, and teacher meetings and all the things that go on with raising a child,” Glomski said.

The mini grants are $150 every 6 months. Glomski said if you missed the kinship program meeting she is still available to help. “Call the Seniors Center, and ask about the program because it’s there for you.”