Supporting All New York Grandparents
by State Senator
George Onorato

September 7, 2003 marks the 25th anniversary of National Grandparents Day in the United States—a day set aside to acknowledge the many contributions of grandparents to our society. In any number of ways, grandparents make a positive difference in the lives of their families, serving as a source of support and guidance for new generations.

However, for a growing number of grandparents across the nation, grandparenting has become actual day-to-day parenting. According to the 2000 Census, more than 2.4 million grandparents—including more than 143,000 in New York City—are raising grandchildren whose parents, for any number of reasons, cannot or will not care for them. Whether the parents have passed away, fallen prey to substance abuse or otherwise cannot make a home for their children, more and more grandparents are stepping in to serve as primary caregivers for their grandchildren.

In response, New York, like many states across the nation, is taking steps to aid grandparents who are making homes for their grandchildren. This year, for example, the New York state legislature stepped in to provide $200,000 for the Foster Grandparent Program, which the governor had sought to eliminate. This program, administered by local aging services agencies throughout New York, provides help for grandparents raising their grandchildren.

In addition, with my support, the Legislature approved a bill in June (S.4224/A8302) to enable grandparents to seek legal custody of their grandchildren if the parents abandon their responsibility to plan and care for their children. The measure also requires social services officials to specifically seek out grandparents as potential foster parents or legal guardians in the event that children are removed from their parents’ home. If signed into law by the governor, this legislation will give grandparents greater legal standing in caring for their grandchildren—a step that a number of other states have already taken.

To help grandparents who are raising their grandchildren, a number of resources are available. If you, or someone you know, is raising a grandchild, and would like information about support services, possible financial aid, and other assistance, there are a number of places to go. Here are just a few:

•New York City Department for the Aging Grandparent Resource Center: Call the Center at 1-212-442-1094, or visit them at www.nyc.gov (click on City Agencies, and choose Aging. On the Department for the Aging home page, click on "Raising your Grandchildren" on the "Caregivers" menu.)

•New York State Office for the Aging: Call the toll-free Senior Citizen Hotline at 1-800-342-9871 for information and referrals to grandparent support groups, or visit www.aging.state.ny.us (click on "Families and Caregivers" for information.)

•American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Grandparent Information Center: Call the center at 1-202-434-2296, or visit at www.aarp.org (In the "Search" bar, type in Grandparent Information Center.)

•The Grandparent Caregiver Law Center/Brookdale Center on Aging: Call the center at 1-518-434-4571, or visit at www.brookdale. org/gpc/

George Onorato represents the 12th State Senate District in Astoria and Long Island City.