Press Releases

In the first national rally of grandparents and other relatives raising children, kinship caregivers from 28 states will converge on Washington at the U.S. Capitol at 1 pm on Oct. 15 to tell Congress they need support in raising their families.

More than 2.4 million grandparents across the country are raising their grandchildren and their numbers are growing. More than six million children live in households headed by grandparents or other relatives. Too many of these kinship caregivers are raising children without the support and help they need. Many of them face financial, legal, educational, housing and health problems triggered or exacerbated by their parenting responsibilities.

The "GrandRally" will call on Congress to take action to help address the many problems these families face. This event is being sponsored jointly by the Children's Defense Fund, AARP, Generations United, the Child Welfare League of America and the National Committee of Grandparents for Children's Rights.

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The mission of the Children's Defense Fund is to Leave No Child Behind and to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. CDF provides a strong, effective voice for all the children of America who cannot vote, lobby, or speak for themselves. We pay particular attention to the needs of poor and minority children and those with disabilities. CDF educates the nation about the needs of children and encourages preventive investment before they get sick, into trouble, drop out of school, or suffer family breakdown. CDF began in 1973 and is a private, nonprofit organization supported by foundation and corporate grants and individual donations. We have never taken government funds.