In photos: Healthy Grandparents Program provides Christmas cheer to grandparents, grandchildren

Since 1999, the College of Nursing has been running the Healthy Grandparents Program. The program provides physical, emotional and social support to grandparents and great-grandparents who are raising grandchildren under the age of 18 in parent-absent homes, providing them with a stable and supportive home environment without having to enter the formal foster care system.

The Healthy Grandparents Program provides a variety of support services to these grandparents, including the annual Christmas party.

This year’s event was filled with laughter, crafts, good food, presents and special guests, Santa and Mrs. Claus. There were 95 children who attended with their grandparents, and well over 300 gifts were given out. 

Thanks to numerous volunteers and the donations of community members, this event was a resounding success. The holidays are a particularly stressful time for the grandparents for a variety of reasons, but the gifts received eased some of that stress.