Resources - National Organizations
American Association of Retired Persons Grandparent Information Center
American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Grandparent Information Center (GIC) was established in 1993 to help grandparents cope with their parenting role. GIC acts as a link between grandparents and the resources available to them, through publications and bibliographies, and by answering individual questions from grandparents raising grandchildren. (One does not have to me a member of AARP, over 50 years old, or even a grandparent to use this service). Information is also available in Spanish.
Grandparent Information Center
AARP
601 E. St. NW
Washington, DC 20049
(202) 434-2296
Email: gic@aarp.org
Website: http://www.aarp.org/family/grandparents
The Brookdale Foundation
The Brookdale Foundation initiated the Relatives as Parents Program (RAPP) in 1996. RAPP is designed to encourage and promote the creation or expansion of services for grandparents and other relatives who are parenting the children of others. RAPP provides annual seed grants to local and state projects. Check their website to determine current funding initiatives and click on the RAPP text on the page.
The Brookdale Foundation Group
950 Third Avenue, 19th Floor
New York, NY 10022
(212) 308-7355
Email: mpp@brookdalefoundation.org
Website: www.brookdalefoundation.org
Child Welfare League of America
The Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) provides resources and a national bi-annual conference on kinship care. Founded in 1920, they are one of the nation’s oldest and most respected organizations dedicated to promoting child and family welfare. Links at their website include kinship care policy, practice, and research. They are currently helping to organize a National Kinship Care Association. In addition, in cooperation with the state child welfare agencies, CWLA presents the nation's first comprehensive, interactive child welfare database: the National Data Analysis System (NDAS). The NDAS harnesses technology to promote effective integration of research, policy, and practice.
The NDAS puts child welfare statistics at the fingertips of Internet users, creating customized tables and graphs and providing information and links necessary to understand the data. Click here to go to NDAS.
Child Welfare League of America
440 First Street NW, Third Floor
Washington, DC 20001-2085
Program Office
50 F Street NW, 6th Floor
Washington, DC 20001-2085
(202) 638-2952
Fax: (202) 638-4004
Email: msatterfield@cwla.org
Website: www.cwla.org/programs/kinship/
Children of Alcoholic Foundation
The Children of Alcoholic Foundation (COAF)has created the COAF Initiative: The Ties That Bind, Parental Substance Abuse and Kinship Care. An affiliate of Phoenix House, they offer suggestions, tips, and strategies for handling what can be a very difficult topic to address.
Children of Alcoholic Foundation
164 W. 74th Street
New York, NY 10023
212-595-5810, ext. 7780
Email: coaf@phoenixhouse.org
Website: www.coaf.org/family/caregivers/kinmain
Children's Defense Fund
The Children's Defense Fund's mission is to "Leave No Child Behind", paying particular attention to the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities since 1973. Go to their website and type in the keywords "kinship care" to find a number of research articles on this topic.
Children's Defense Fund
25 E Street NW
Washington, DC 20001
(202) 628-8787
Email: cdfinfo@childrensdefense.org
Website: http://www.childrensdefense.org/
Generations United
Generations United (GU)strives to forge bonds between people of different generations and between organizations that represent them. GU’s mission includes training, technical assistance, and resource sharing to support intergenerational programs. They have a program called KinNET program, based on the RAPP model, that serves kin foster families, and offer an annual national conference that includes a kinship care track. Check their website to find numerous fact sheets and their current funding initiatives.
Generations United
1333 H Street, NW, Suite 500W
Washington, DC 20005
(202)289-3979
Email: gu@gu.org
Website: www.gu.org
KINship Information Network
KINship Information Network is an organization dedicated to those grandparents and other relative caregivers who are raising their grandchildren, their nieces or nephews by court order or voluntarily. The organization and its resources are intended to help you find the information now available and to become a part of making changes that are so desperately needed to the systems we have all become a part of.
KINship Information Network, Inc.
PO Box 450063
Sunrise, Fl 33345-0063
772-501-0502
Website: http://www.connectforkids.org
National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights
National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights (NCGCR)was established to form a coalition of concerned grandparents, citizens and agencies united to create one powerful voice and to network with groups throughout the nation that share our goals. Our mission is to advocate and lobby for substantial and urgent legislative changes that protect the rights of grandparents to secure their grandchildren's health, happiness and well-being. We are committed to monitoring agencies that affect our grandchildren at the city, county, state and federal levels and to protect the rights of grandparents and the needs of grandchildren who are at risk.
Executive Director: Bridgitte Castellano bcastellano@grandparentsforchildren.org 866-624-9900
The National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights can also be reached at:
School of Social Welfare
HSC, Level 2, Room 093
Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NY 11794-8231
-or-
P.O. Box 6635
Albany, N.Y. 12206
Email: bcastellano@grandparentsforchildren.org
Website: http://www.grandparentsforchildren.org