What is R.A.P.P. (Relatives as Parents Program)?
RAPP offers information and support to grandparents and other relatives raising another’s child(ren) in the counties of Covington, Forrest, Jones and Smith. Members share fellowship, friendship and experiences with one another in addition to gaining information and linkage to resources. A facilitator is available to all RAPP group members.
An Annual Grandparent’s University brings grandparents from all counties together to share information, engage in hands-on activities and enjoy fellowship during lunch.
The RAPP Meeting
Support groups meet once a month for one and a half hours. Home cooked meals are served coordinated by the grandparents. Topics of interest range from those dealing with grandparents, their grandchildren and family issues. Discussions of grief and loss, reducing stress, recognizing attachment disorders in your grandchild, dealing with Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), breast cancer prevention, school performance are only a few of the many topics covered in support groups.
All information is confidential. Call Sylvia at 601-582-0909 for more information and a meeting site nearest you.
RAPP Fellowship
Grandparents also celebrate their birthdays as a group. Each grandparent in the group contributes up to $7.00 in commodity goods of the birthday person’s choice including laundry detergent, paper towels, toilet paper and dishwashing liquid, to name a few.
Grandfamilies participate in recreational events including trips to Franklinton Fair, The Renaissance Fair, the Mississippi State Extension Flower Show, The Hattiloo Black Repertory Theatre, and Geyser Falls Water Park.
Grandfamilies also give back to the community through participation in fundraising and walking for the Diabetes Foundation of Mississippi.
Is there a cost to participate?
No. All services are free.
Resources
The Brookdale Foundation << Click Here
Foundation focusing on Relatives as Parents Programs nationwide. Annual newsletter available on-line.
Generations United<< Click Here
Organization which focuses on intergenerational issues and advocates for nationwide intergenerational programming. Generations United was instrumental in the initial legislative passage of the Federal Title IIIE National Family Caregiver Act of 2001 which supports grandparents raising grandchildren.
AARP Grandfamilies State Fact Sheet<< Click Here
Find out the latest statistics on the number of kinship families in your state with important links to other kinship facts.