October 13, 2022
GRANDFAMILIES ALERT
Hello Friends of Grandfamilies,

Below you will find some recent updates and resources from the field. If you know anyone who may be interested in receiving these alerts, please forward this to them and/or encourage them to sign up here.
TOP NEWS
2022 State of Grandfamilies Report Release Event - Register Today

Generations United will release our 2022 State of Grandfamilies report, Together at the Table: Supporting the Nutrition, Health, and Well-Being of Grandfamilies, on Wednesday, November 2. The report release event will feature highlights from the report, a conversation with members of grandfamilies facilitated by author and journalist Michelle Singletary, and the presentation of Generations United’s Grandfamilies Champion Award.  
 
The event will be held in-person at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., and it will also be simultaneously live-streamed. It will take place on Wednesday, November 2, from 12:30-1:30 p.m. ET. Register today!
The Humana Foundation has awarded a $100k grant to Generations United

The grant is part of a multi-million dollar initiative to support healthy emotional connections among those facing isolation, trauma, and addiction. Read more.

SAVE THE DATES
- July 26-28, 2023

Generations United's 2023 Global Intergenerational Conference will be held July 26-28, 2023 in Washington, DC.
Want to help make it an incredible success? Join our Program Committee! Please complete this form to volunteer. 
White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health

The White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health took place on September 28, 2022, along with the release of the National Strategy to End Hunger by 2030. Kinship families are highlighted in the strategy, specifically in reference to the importance of improving their access to SNAP. The strategy also proposes to permanently expand the Child Tax Credit, make improvements to WIC access and benefits, expand free school meals, and increase funding for Older Americans Act nutrition programs in ways that would also greatly benefit grandfamilies and improve their food and economic security. 
Click here to read the strategy.
Exemplary Kinship/Grandfamilies Policy, Practice, and Program Designation

The Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center (Network) is seeking to identify and designate exemplary kinship/grandfamilies policies, practices, and programs to elevate good work and share exemplary strategies with others. The Network encourages applications from government agencies in states, tribes, and territories, as well as private kinship navigator programs and other community-based organizations that serve grandfamilies and kinship families. Apply today! For more information, check out the application.
Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center Celebrates 1 Year Anniversary!

In honor of the Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network: A National Technical Assistance Center's first birthday, they created a one-page infographic to celebrate their achievements. We're excited to start our second year and continue our work. You can see and download the infographic from our website here.
Supporting Kinship Families & Grandfamilies Affected by Substance Use Disorders

Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network Director Ana Beltran is featured in a Q&A published by the Administration for Community Living on September 30. The post is called "Supporting Kinship Families & Grandfamilies Affected by Substance Use Disorders."

The Q&A discusses why it is important for the aging and disability networks to understand the role that kinship families and grandfamilies play in supporting individuals affected by substance use disorders, including children, and how best to assist them. Read more here.
Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse Announces New Ratings

The Title IV-E Prevention Services Clearinghouse has rated Arizona Kinship Support Services as “Supported.” This program is the second kinship navigator to receive an approved rating by the clearinghouse. Learn more here.
EVENTS
The Administration for Community Living is Now Accepting Comments on the National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers

The 2022 National Strategy to Support Family Caregivers (the strategy) is now available for public comment.
Comments received from the public will be used to inform the ongoing work of two Congressionally mandated caregiving advisory councils, as well as to inform future updates to the strategy. Comments can be submitted via an online form.

You’re invited! Roundtable Discussions with SSA and the Advocacy Community

Social Security will host its first Roundtable Discussions with SSA and the Advocacy Community to be held on Thursday, October 27, 2022, from 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. ET via Microsoft (MS) Teams. This new meeting series will focus on important issues and agency priorities, such as:
  • Access to services;
  • Customer experience;
  • Initiatives to support Executive Orders; and
  • much more! 
To participate in the Roundtable Discussions, please register by Thursday, October 13, 2022. After registering, you will receive a follow-up email with the meeting agenda and MS Teams link.  
RESOURCES
GRANDFamily Connections of Chester County, PA

Deborah Willett, a member of Generations United's Grandfamilies Advisory Group, Program Coordinator GRANDFamily Connections of Chester County, PA and GRANDFamily Provider Network of Chester County, created a video with her son Noah Willett explaining the terms grandfamilies/kinship families. Check out the video.
An Important Notice Regarding Transition-Aged Youth!

SSA recently mailed a notice to more than 342k Supplemental Security Income (SSI) recipients between the ages of 14 and 17 (transition-aged youth) and their adult representatives to share policies and other resources to assist youth in their transition to adulthood. These mailings include a notice and our annual publication, What You Need To Know About Your Supplemental Security Income (SSI) When You Turn 18 (Publication No. 05-11005)
You can download the publication, in both English and Spanish, from our publication webpage. They also have a webpage for youth to assist them in making a successful transition to adulthood.
CAREGIVER CORNER
Gail Engel, a GRAND Voice and Network subject matter expert who is raising her grandson, wrote a beautiful paragraph on the importance of networking. We shared her reflection on Twitter, along with a lovely photo of Gail with her grandson and husband. Read Gail's words.

Photo Courtesy of Gail Engel
A recent AP article features quotes and a picture of GRAND Voice Cassandra Gentry. The article, "Social Security boost will help millions of kids, too," discusses the 2023 cost of living adjustment for social security and highlights the impact it will have on grandfamilies and millions of children who receive social security benefits. As Gentry notes, "I never thought about contributing to Social Security when I was working, but now that’s what I depend on."
Photo Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Harnik
Thanks for reading this newsletter. If you have anything you would like included in future newsletters, please send them to Jamarl D. Clark at [email protected]. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this newsletter. Feel free to reply with any feedback or comments.

Best,
The Grandfamilies Team