Grandparents Rally on Lawn of U.S. Capitol

WASHINGTON, May 10, 2017 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On May 10, 2017 grandparents and other relative caregivers, children and advocates from around the country will join U.S. Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Ron Wyden (D-Oregon) on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol Building for the 5^th National GrandRally: Building a Community of Hope. Michelle Singletary, national syndicated columnist, was raised by her grandmother and will be the Master of Ceremonies. The spotlight will be on the critical role grandparents and other relatives play in providing safe, loving, and permanent families for children. The opioid crisis has spurred a major increase in the number of children entering foster care, after years of decline. For every child in foster care, nearly 20 children are being raised by relatives outside the child welfare system and are receiving little to no support. Federal policies and programs make big differences in the lives of relative caregivers and the children they raise. 

WHAT:
5^th National GrandRally of relative caregivers, children and advocates.

WHEN & WHERE:
May 10, 2017
West Grassy Front of the U.S. Capitol Building
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

WHO:
Michelle Singletary – Master of Ceremonies, raised by her grandmother, "Big Momma"
MaryLee Allen – Director of Policy, Children's Defense Fund
Rev. Dr. Clifford Barnett – Pastor, Warren Temple A.M.E. Zion Church, Wilmington, North Carolina
Brittney Barros – Youth being raised by grandmother from Ypsilanti, Michigan
Donna Butts – Executive Director, Generations United
Ali Caliendo – Board Member, National Kinship Alliance for Children
Christine Calpin – Managing Director, Public Policy, Casey Family Programs
George Collins-White – Policy Specialist, Foster Club
Shasta Dazen – Youth raised by grandparents, Fort Apache Indian Reservation, Whiteriver, Arizona
Neil Gallagher – Grandparent caregiver, Hurst, Texas
U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
Bette Hoxie – Grandparent caregiver, Orono, Maine
Rijenna Murray – Aunt caregiver, Indianapolis, Indiana
Pat Owens – Co-founder & President/CEO, Grandfamilies of America
Barb Quaintance – Vice President, Enterprise Award Strategy, AARP
SaulPaul – Performance by musician, songwriter raised by grandmother, Austin, Texas
U.S. Senator Ron Wyden (D-Oregon)
A Second Chance, Inc. Choir – Performance by relative caregiver choir from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 

The event is cosponsored by Generations United, Casey Family Programs, Children's Defense Fund, AARP, Grandfamilies of America, Foster Club, and the National Kinship Alliance for Children.  For more information or for pre-event interviews, please contact Alan King at [email protected]

SOURCE Children's Defense Fund

Related Links

http://www.childrensdefense.org