In Philadelphia alone, there are over 60,000 children being raised by a grandparent. Nobody throws baby showers for a silver haired, second time around "Mama-Nana." But they need diaper bags, cribs and all the other baby paraphernalia that a newborn requires.
When I had a baby last spring, I was gifted with more wonderful baby gear than I knew what to do with. As the clothes, toys and blankets began to pile up, I knew that we had way more than one little baby could ever use. Luckily, my friend Lorene Cary, is not just a stunning writer (her book, Price of A Child, is one of my all time favorites.) Lorene is someone who lives and breathes community. As we outgrew big ticket items, such as our co-sleeper, and received doubles and triples of other uber useful things such as diaper bags, bottles, books and baby clothes, Lorene suggested that we give them to Grands as Parents, a Philadelphia group that helps support grandparents who are stepping in to raise kids. So every few months, I've been taking a close inventory of my baby's room, making sure to put aside things that are new (with tags still on) or in very good condition, and taking it over to Grands as Parents.
As the weather warms up, and we all get into the time honored tradition of spring cleaning, I urge you to take a look around your home and see what you have that someone else might really, really need.
Donations to Grands as Parents can be sent to:
Grands as Parents
2121 North Gratz Street
Philadelphia, PA 19121
215-236-6848
www.gapsnow.org
If there's a group in your community that's doing similar work, write me a comment so that we can spread the word and give these grandparents the support they so clearly deserve.
