If you are raising a family member’s child, Smoky River Family and Community Support Services (FCSS) has created a program to help support you in your endeavours.
Grand Connections will make its inaugural appearance on Sept. 24 at the McLennan Municipal Library at 4 p.m. The one-hour group will be the first of many but will help members formulate ideas of what they would like to discuss going forward.
“The first meeting of Grand Connections will be a meet and greet,” explains FCSS community programmer Tianna Todd.
“(It will be) mainly to see what everyone is looking to get from this program that FCSS wants to offer to the region.”
Todd says some examples of what could happen during Grand Connections is having special speakers brought in to chat with group members about resources available or simply a support group where like-minded families can chat and discuss life.
She adds there is no cost for people to participate in the group and anyone who thinks this would be helpful to them are welcome to attend.
“We wanted to show our care and support for the grandparents and extended family members who are raising children,” Todd explains.
“It’s a great way to be social and engage with families who could be struggling the same way your family is.”
The frequency of Grand Connections meetings is not determined at this juncture. FCSS would like the group to formulate how many meetings would be best suited to them and their needs.
“This is mainly a support group for grandparents and extended family members to socialize and seek support or resources,” says Todd.
“I hope people can create their own villages that will help them in raising and nurturing the children they’re raising.”
If you have any questions about the group or ideas of how this group can benefit you, please phone or email Todd. Her office phone number is (780) 837-2220 or email is tianna@srfcss.com.
Todd says it takes a village to raise a child, and FCSS is hoping to help you find people to join your village.
Emily Plihal
Local Journalism
Initiative Reporter