2020 Awards and Recognition
The Commission on the Status of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren is happy to announce the 2020 Awards and Recognition Recipients. Typically this announcement would be made at our annual conference in June with 250 grandparents raising grandchildren, service providers, and community supporters present to honor the award recipients and celebrate their work. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we were not able to gather this June to celebrate together. Please take some time to read about these amazing community partners who are working to support grandparents and relative caregivers. We will be sure to honor and celebrate them as soon as it is safe to gather together again!

Congratulations to all!
2020 Harriet Jackson-Lyons Award:

The Westfield Support Group for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren

The Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren is proud to announce that the 2020 Harriet Jackson-Lyons Award recipient is the Westfield Support Group for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.  Led by Maureen Viturale and Cathy Frye, retired school social workers from the Westfield Public Schools, this group recently celebrated its 15 th anniversary of meeting to support grandparents and relative caregivers in the Westfield community.
2020 John Lepper Advocacy Award:

Patricia Baker,
Massachusetts Law Reform Institute

The Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren is proud to announce that the 2020 John Lepper Advocacy Award recipient is Patricia Baker from Massachusetts Law Reform Institute (MLRI). Patricia first started working with the Commission on issues impacting grandparents raising grandchildren and relative caregivers several years ago, but her passion for helping children and families has extended over forty years.  Patricia has been working tirelessly for the last several years to ensure that grandparents raising grandchildren and relative caregivers have access to the same benefits as foster families.  
2020 Friends of the Commission Award:

Elder Services of Worcester Area, Inc.


The Commission on Grandparents Raising Grandchildren is proud to announce that 2020 Friends of The Commission Award recipient is Elder Services of Worcester Area, Inc. (ESWA). ESWA has been a very generous and supportive community partner to the Commission over the years. ESWA also support grandparents raising grandchildren by providing Family Caregiver Support grants for grand-families as well as sponsoring a support group for grandparents in the Worcester community.