Information Series for Grandparents and their Grandchildren Ages 3 – 6 years old

Kalamazoo, Mich.- The Second Time Around – Kinship Care Program will run an adult Information Series on Tuesdays mornings this summer, 9 a.m.-11:30 a.m. from June 19 through July 31. The Information Series will be held at the United Methodist Church at 212 Park St in Kalamazoo. Topics for this series include parenting skills, handling stress, financial questions, school & community, legal issues and more. In addition, a program called Grand Ideas for Grand Kids aimed at grandchildren 3-6 years of age will be held simultaneously with the adult program. Children’s topics will be presented using games, arts and crafts, and fun, interactive activities with the goal of enhancing self esteem, increasing social skills, and assisting children to recognize and appropriately express emotions. This program is being offered free of charge.

The Second Time Around program at Michigan State University Extension - Kalamazoo County was awarded a grant from Western Michigan University in collaboration with the Kellogg Foundation to fund the information series. The grant designates Second Time Around as a Grandparent Resource Center, one of several throughout the United States. The goal will be to improve school readiness among children who are being raised by their grandparents.

The grant also includes developing an Advisory Council consisting of area attorneys, teachers, social workers, and grandparents; establishing support groups; initiating in-home education visits for families unable to attend scheduled community programs; in-service education for professionals in the community.

For information on the program or to enroll you and your grandchildren in the information series, call Barbara Vortman, Michigan State University Extension, 269-383-6438 or e-mail: vortman@msu.edu

For more information about the Second Time Around-Grandparent Support Program call Barbara Vortman at 383-6438. If you would like to make arrangements to accommodate persons with disabilities at this event please call Barb Vortman two weeks prior to the event. Requests received after this date will be met when possible.

The program is free of charge with funding provided by WK Kellogg Foundation in collaboration with Western Michigan University and MSU Extension, Strong Families/Safe Children and Area Agency on Aging IIIA.

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MSU Extension is an Affirmative-Action Equal-Opportunity Institution. Michigan State University Extension programs and materials are open to all without regard to race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, disability, political beliefs, sexual orientation, marital status, or family status.

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