A grandparent support program expands into southeastern NC
By Anna Phillips | January 20, 2021 at 5:21 PM EST – Updated January 21 at 12:02 AM
PENDER COUNTY, N.C. (WECT) – A program designed to help grandparents who are raising their grandchildren is expanding into Pender County.
Monthly events were previously held in-person with childcare provided but the events are now held virtually.
According to Jhaniqua Farrar Palmer, there are at least 600 grandparent caregivers in Pender County.
The ultimate goal of the program is to connect grandparents with other grandparents dealing with some of the same things to build reliable relationships they can lean on when things are tough.
“Peer-to-peer support means that in the group meetings, the grandparents run the meeting,” she said. “They help facilitate the meeting. They decide what they want to talk about. They talk about the frustrations that they’re going through. It decreases their isolation because they can look across the table and see another grandparent in their shoes who is not only dealing with raising their grandchild but trying to figure out what to do with their own child.”
Meetings are being held virtually on the third Thursday of every month.
The first Pender County meeting is Thursday, January 21.
”I encourage everyone who is caring for a grandchild to participate in this program,” said the Pender County liaison, Tammy Proctor. “There you will find support. You’ll find that you’re not alone in caring for your grandchild.”
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