In Arizona, more than 64,000 grandparents are raising their grandchildren as kinship caregivers. Of these grandparents, 41.6% are of Hispanic/Latino origin and English is not their primary language, according to Grandfamilies.org. For years, Duet has provided grandparents with resources, respite, and support to care for these “grandfamilies.” Now, thanks to a generous $37,000 grant from Thunderbirds Charities, Duet will be able to serve even more grandfamilies through a new pilot program and the hiring of a bilingual social worker to help families stay together and keep children out of the foster care system.

“The pandemic has been hard on all of us, especially grandparents raising grandchildren, many of whom are vulnerable seniors that must juggle their own health and wellness while also taking care of the needs of the children in their care,” says Patricia Dominguez, kinship care services director at Duet. “Many of these grandparents are underserved and Spanish speaking—and may have a hard time accessing resources—so we are thankful for the grant from Thunderbirds Charities as it will allow us to help more grandfamilies in need.”

Duet’s grandparents raising grandchildren program offers support for grandparents raising grandchildren through free-of-charge support groups, legal guidance and assistance, funds for extracurricular activities, information and guided assistance, educational workshops, and more. All of their services have pivoted to meet COVID-19 safety guidelines.

To learn more about Duet’s grandparents raising grandchildren program and the support they offer, visit http://www.duetaz.org/grandparents-raising-grandchildren or call (602) 274-5022.