In Alabama alone, almost 250,000 children are being raised by grandparents and other relative caregivers.
These “grandfamilies” are not rare exceptions; they are the silent backbone of our communities. The reasons are heartbreaking: the ongoing opioid crisis, the rise of other addictive drugs, incarceration, mental health and abandonment. Babies are being born dependent on illegal substances, and far too often, their biologicals are unable — or unwilling — to care for them.
Thankfully, grandparents and kinship caregivers step in. They open their homes, stretch and deplete their retirement savings, and give these children stability, love, and hope. They do everything possible to keep children out of a child welfare system that is broken and overwhelmed.
My wife, Edie, and I know this struggle intimately. We are raising two of our grandchildren, Kyren (11) and Harper (8), both born with multiple illegal, addictive drugs in their system. Their early years were marked by trauma, hospital stays, and court battles.
We fought tirelessly for custody, spending years navigating a system that often seemed stacked against us. Our journey was expensive, emotionally draining, and at times heartbreaking. Yet, we would do it all over again, because children deserve Safety, Family, and Love.
As we connected with other grandparents across Alabama, we realized our story was far from unique. The pandemic in 2020 only intensified the need. Calls poured in — grandfamilies desperate for food, school supplies, basic necessities.
With the help of friends and partners, we began distributing groceries from our own driveway. What started with 25 families grew into thousands. Since then, we have distributed more than 165 tons of food. Last year, we served over 56,000 people.
Out of this movement came “Christmas for Kin,” one of Edie’s passions. Each year, she makes sure that children in kinship Families receive the very gifts they wish for — just as if Santa himself had delivered them.
What began with 100 children has grown to 400, with a goal of serving 500 this year. Seeing children wake up on Christmas morning to find their wishes fulfilled is pure joy — and a reminder of the power of community.
But the need is far greater than food and Christmas gifts.
Many grandparents are raising children with special needs caused by prenatal drug exposure. It can take years to get an appointment with a therapist or medical specialist, who takes Medicaid. Or they face the personal costs of medical care, therapies, and legal fees, all while living on fixed incomes.
To help the children. Despite their sacrifices, most caregivers receive little to no financial support.
That’s why Grandparents as Parents has worked tirelessly with state and national leaders.
We helped establish Alabama’s first Legislative Study Commission on Grandfamilies and proudly serve on the Federal Advisory Council on Grandparents Supporting Grandchildren. And this year, we celebrated the opening of Alabama’s first Grandparents as Parent’s One Stop Shop in Huntsville — a safe, centralized resource hub modeled after the highly successful Foster Kinship Organization in Nevada.
For now, we are providing the basic needs of our families. Soon, families will find the services they need without navigating endless bureaucratic red tape.
Still, we face an uphill climb. Hundreds of millions of opioid settlement dollars are flowing into Alabama, yet very little is reaching families most directly impacted — grandparents raising the children left behind. These caregivers are doing the work of keeping children out of foster care, out of institutions, and on the path to becoming thriving members of society. They deserve meaningful support.
As we mark the end of Kinship Care Month 2025, my message to Alabama’s leaders is simple: Invest in these Families. Support the caregivers who are already succeeding where so many services and systems you fund, have failed repeatedly. The children being raised in grandfamilies are the next generation of leaders, workers, and innovators.
By strengthening them, we strengthen Alabama’s future.
To every grandparent, relative, and kinship caregiver stepping into the role of parent once again — you are heroes.
Thank you for showing us that family, in all its forms, is powerful enough to break cycles and build brighter tomorrows.
For information, visit gapalabama.org.
Keith Lowhorne is founder and president of Grandparents as Parents.
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