Recurring Giving To Help Custodial Grandparents in Georgia
When a grandparent gets that call from DFCS, everything changes.
One day they’re planning for retirement, maybe traveling a little or living modestly on Social Security. The next, they’re scrambling to register two young children for school, trying to understand modern homework, and stretching every dollar to cover food, clothes, and medical needs. Their quiet household has become a crash site of sudden responsibility—and they’re expected to carry it all.
At Ministries of Grace, we walk alongside grandparents who’ve stepped up during family crisis. And thanks to monthly donors, we can stay with them for the long haul.
The Reality Grandparents Face
Many of the grandparents we serve are GAP families. They don’t qualify for state assistance because they technically receive Social Security or pension income. But that income was never meant to support growing children. Add in rising costs of groceries, gas, utilities, and healthcare, and you have caregivers living in quiet panic.
They often don’t ask for help. They’re used to doing things on their own. But the added pressure of diapers, lunchboxes, and therapy appointments is a lot for one person, especially one on a fixed income.
Some live in RVs or tiny apartments. Others sold the last of their savings to provide beds for their grandchildren. They didn’t plan for this, but they didn’t hesitate either.
What Ministries of Grace Provides for These Families
When grandparents are thrust into caregiving, they need more than sympathy—they need solutions. That’s where consistent support through our Social Services Department makes the difference.
Monthly donors make it possible for us to offer:
- Weekly food delivery so children never go to bed hungry
- Custom care plans tailored to long-term guardianship
- Access to emergency supplies like winter coats, heaters, and hygiene items
- Referrals for school, therapy, and legal support
- Mental health counseling and in-home visits to help with trauma and transitions
- Letters of support for childcare access and agency partnerships
We don’t just show up once—we stay involved for as long as the need is there.
Monthly Giving Keeps Families Together
These aren’t short-term situations. Many grandparents will raise these children until they graduate high school.
Monthly giving provides the stability we need to:
- Keep food programs consistent
- Retain experienced case workers
- Help families navigate complex systems like DFCS, CAPS, and school enrollment
- Continue providing relational, emotional support—not just transactions
Your monthly support allows us to plan for the long run—because that’s exactly what these families are doing.
A Grandmother’s Story of Quiet Courage
Mary was 68, living alone in her RV, when she got a call from the Department of Family and Children Services. Her daughter had been hospitalized, and her three grandchildren needed immediate placement.
Mary said yes without hesitation.
But she had nothing—no beds, no food, no car seats. Ministries of Grace stepped in the next day with food, hygiene kits, and help creating a care plan. Over the following months, Mary received school supply referrals, budgeting help, and access to in-home counseling to help her grandchildren process the trauma they’d experienced.
“Ministries of Grace didn’t make me feel like a case. They made me feel like family.” — Mary, grandmother of three
Be the Support They Never Knew They’d Need
These grandparents didn’t ask for this. But they answered the call anyway. Now, they need us—and you—to make sure they can keep showing up for the children they love.
➡️ Give Monthly to Help Families in Crisis
Because behind every brave grandparent is a community that cares.
