(Photo: Christopher Lee/Getty Images) - Click here to see enlarged image - DeAndre Yedlin of the United States (left) competes with Portugal's Miguel Veloso for the ball during Sunday's 2014 FIFA World Cup match at Arena Amazonia in Manaus, Brazil.

Grand Success Story

This past Sunday, the world watched 20-year-old DeAndre Yedlin and the U.S. soccer team battle it out against Portugal in World Cup 2014. That day, the little known right back, who was raised by his grandparents, became a household name in his national debut. At Generations United, Yedlin is another shining example of the resiliency and resourcefulness of grandfamilies. "My grandparents have been big supporters in my life," he told Sounders U-23, "without them paying for all the soccer growing up I don't know I would be where I am today." 

• The Arizona Daily Star. Our Deputy Executive Director Jaia Lent was interviewed for the story, "When families dissolve, grandparents often squeezed out," which was about grandparents trying to help their grandchildren. "We have a good number looking for legal resources after finding themselves in challenging cases," Jaia told the Daily Star. Read the full article    
• The Minnesota Star Tribune. In his article "Kid therapy: Mixing seniors and youthful energy," the Star Tribune's Graison Hensley Chapman cited Generations United as a resource for national intergenerational programs and Minnesota's shared sites. Read the article
• The Huffington Post. Our Executive Director Donna Butts co-authored a Huffington Post piece in support of kin, adoptive and foster families with Joe Kroll, executive director of the North American Council on Adoptable Children, and Irene Clements, president of the National Foster Parent Association. Read their piece, "America Is Stronger When Children Live in Families".  

Advocates for Families First Moves Ahead with Bold, First Policy Agenda

Advocates for Familes First - a partnership of Generations United, the National Foster Parents Association and the North American Council on Adoptable Children - released its first joint policy agenda last week on Capitol Hill. Rep. Dave Camp (R-MI) was among those speaking as advocates for strengthening policies on behalf of kinship, foster and adoptive families. "When you look at the data (since the passage of the Adoption and Safe Families Act), time waiting to be adopted has declined by a year since 1997," explained Congressman Camp, chair of the House Ways and Means Committee. "The bill has been effective, but we can improve upon it with the legislation that is pending." Learn more

Lynn Urvina, a kinship navigator and grandparent raising grandchildren in Washington state, also spoke about the need for improved supports and policies for relatives raising children outside of the foster care system. Prior to the Capitol Hill event, Lynn and several other relative caregivers from across the country convened in Washington, D.C., for the inaugural training of the GrAND network - a joint partnership of Generations United and Casey Family Programs - to raise caregivers' voices.

Special Offer on Youth Today

The National Human Services Assembly's National Collaboration for Youth, comprising of 50 member organizations, will offer grand members and friends of Generations United discounted subscriptions to Youth Today's online and print editions. Learn more

What Are You Doing for Grandparents Day?

Become a Generations United Senior Fellow

Are you a senior professional in the D.C. area who has expertise, energy and wisdom to share? Then we're looking to recruit you as a Senior Fellow. The program is an opportunity to apply your skills to new areas of interest, gain a better understanding of Generations United and our impact, approach, strategies, opportunities, and challenges. Consider contributing to our mission. Learn more

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As a reader of Generations This Week, you can receive a complimentary subscription to GRAND, the online magazine by grandparents, for grandparents. That's a $19.95 value for 12 issues.

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