🏢 Illinois Caregivers: This one is for you.
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Dear Family, I sat at my computer this morning looking at a list of services provided by programs like the one my guest, Kristen Roskoff, represents. Rent assistance. School supplies. Legal aid. Respite care. I was struck by a sobering realization: So many of us in the 2.7 million are carrying an immense "Administrative Weight" alone simply because we don’t know the supply ships exist. If you are living in the AgeGuide region of Illinois (including DuPage, Lake, McHenry, and five other counties), this episode is a direct map to your local boardroom support. If you are outside of Illinois, this is your blueprint for the kind of infrastructure we need to demand from our local representatives. Because if the light bill is paid and legal custody is secure, we have more emotional bandwidth to actually parent. The Raw Truth: The Deserted Island Myth When I first became a kinship caregiver in Northern Montana, I felt like I was on a deserted island. I thought that asking for help with "gap-filling" needs—like a bed for a child who arrived with nothing or fees for a summer camp—was a sign that I wasn't cut out to be the "Invisible CEO."
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But leadership isn't about having all the resources; it’s about knowing how to access them. Kristen reminds us that programs like the DuPage County Kinship Family Program aren't just "government agencies"—they are the supply ships. Whether it's "Prairie State Legal Services" for guardianship or "Metropolitan Family Services" for support groups with childcare, these tools are designed to keep the household infrastructure solvent so the heart can heal.
If you or someone you know lives in DuPage County or the 8 city AgeGuide Region which serves over 945,000 people and serves 250 schools, please share this information on social media or forward this email along to those who need to know. Inside the Project: Episode 99 This Week’s Guest: Kristen Roskoff | Auditing the Safety Net: From Red Tape to Resource In this episode, we dive into the tangible tools available in the 8-county AgeGuide region. We discuss why affordable housing for "Grandfamilies" is the biggest systemic gap in our country, how "Gap-Filling" grants can cover everything from athletic fees to utility bills, and why you should never go to a legal meeting alone. ​[🎧 LISTEN TO EPISODE #124: Kristen Roskoff]​ The Reflection RoomKristen shared that housing for older adults is often restricted to "Seniors Only," leaving grandparents with grandchildren in a desperate lurch. Ask yourself today: Am I hoarding my stress because I'm afraid to be seen as "needing help," or am I ready to audit the supply ships in my area? A CEO’s primary job is to ensure the foundation is stable. The Toolbox: Tactical Moves
We are 2.7 million strong. Still nurturing, and still here. We are the ones clearing the administrative clogs so our grandchildren can finally breathe. See you in the next boardroom, Laura Brazan Founder, The 2.7 Million Project/Host of Grandparents Raising Grandchildren: Nurturing Through Adversity |
Legacy Builder Newsletter
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