Kinship caregivers, CHS staff rally for funding

The staff and members of Grand Family Success Center, a kinship organization, deliberated at their meeting Wednesday as they brainstormed sources for future funding of their grandparents and children’s support initiative.

As the group deliberated about how to raise funds, members also expressed reasons why they really need the program to continue over the next years.

“I joined the program three years ago. I didn’t know it existed,” said Pearlene Armstrong, a grandmother. “I have a granddaughter who really, really needs attention,” she said.

Jacqueline Harris, also a grandmother, said it is difficult to imagine not having the program in her life. “Without this program I don’t know what I would do because they help me in so many ways,” she said. “They help me with my grandson who has multiple disorders.”

Recently, the Grand Family Success Center, (GFSC), received notice from their funding source, The Nicholson Foundation, that it will no longer fund the GFSC after Dec. 31, 2015. As a result, the staff and the group of caregivers, who are mostly grandparents, have been researching ways and means to continue the services of this resourceful kinship group. They will need a new home location and funding to keep the community services and resources available.

The GFSC is a program under The Children’s Home Society of New Jersey agency. This support group assists kinship families, who are caregivers for children of family members who are not able to financially, emotionally, mentally, or otherwise able to take care of their own children.

Sustaining funding for CHS of NJ’s GFSC from Michelle Dryden on Vimeo.

The Children’s Home Society, Grand Family Success Center and Kinship program also welcomes donations to:
The Children’s Home Society
For The Grand Family Success Center
Building #1, Suite #220
168 Franklin Corner Rd.
Lawrenceville, NJ 08648