In February a local support group for grandparents raising their own grandchildren held its first meeting.
Known as Mount Airy Grands, the group was started by Arizona native Rich Young, who, along with his wife, Allene, raises his granddaughter.
“We feel like there are a lot of grandparents in the area who need support. Sometimes you just need a safe place to go and say ‘Here’s what’s going on, and does anyone know how to help’,” Young said.
Young and his wife Allene moved to Mount Airy in December 2019 partly to settle down and raise their 6 year-old granddaughter, Sebellah. The couple had previously been living in Prescott, Arizona, where Young was in charge of a similar support group. Young has worked in the human services field for more than 30 years and, as such, has a considerable amount of experience in the area.