Grandmothers board the bus on Wednesday, May 7, 2008 traveling to Washington, DC for the Third National GrandRally for Grandparents Raising Grandchildren.  Joining more than one thousand grandparents from across the country, SOWN’s grandmothers raise their voices by personally meeting with U.S Congressman Chaka Fattah’s staff and U.S. Congressman Robert Brady’s staff.  SOWN’s grandmother ambassadors focus on the need for supportive services for grandparents and their grandchildren.

Richelle Phillips, GrandFamily Resource Center Coordinator and Caitlin Prusko, GrandFamily Social Worker coordinated SOWN’s participation.  This trip was made possible by the organizational efforts of  Sandy Cross, Grand Central, Inc.

SOWN’s GrandFamily Resource Center is based at Project H.O.M.E.’s Honickman Learning Center Comcast Technology Labs (HLCCTL) in North Philadelphia.  The program enhances the ability of grandparents to continue in their role raising their grandchildren by providing a strong safety net of educational, health related, counseling, information/referral and supportive services. 

The GrandFamily Resource Center is funded by The Robert Wood Johnson Local Initiative Funding Partners, The Samuel S. Fels Fund, The Philadelphia Foundation, Independence Foundation, WOMENS WAY, Fourjay Foundation, Connelly Foundation, William Penn Foundation, United Way and SOWN’s Board of Directors.