Almost 90,000 children in Oklahoma are being raised by grandparents, and that number doesn’t include the many informal kinship arrangements that are unreported. Raising grandchildren can be a tremendous challenge and can become overwhelming with feelings of grief, sadness, and a sense of loss and disappointment, or anger and resentment. These feelings can get in the way of day-to-day life and one way to make the task easier is to connect with other grandparents in the same situation. There are many grandparent support groups located all over the country, with Gary E. Miller Canadian County Children’s Justice Center (CCCJC) offering one such group. The Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group provides emotional and community support through discussions about legal issues, education and childcare, housing and safety, as well as family challenges and accomplishments.

CCCJC collaborates with Sunbeam Family Services to provide the support group to alleviate the mental health burden on grandparents the third Thursday of every month, from 11:30 – 12:30. A meal is often served as well.