Grandparents are having to step up and take custody of their mokopuna because of drugs and alcohol.
Grandparents are having to step up and take custody of their mokopuna because of drugs and alcohol.
Grandparents Rachel and Greg thought their parenting days were over when their children left home.
But they had to step up and take custody of their two mokopuna because of drugs and alcohol.
They are just two of the 6000-plus grandparents and whānau members of charity Grandparents Raising Grandchildren (GRG) that KiwiHarvest — Aotearoa’s largest food rescue organisation — supports.
With over 6000 recipients, GRG supports grandparents who have taken on the responsibility of raising their grandchildren fulltime — a situation many whānau find themselves in due to parental challenges or family crises.
“Having our grandchildren uplifted due to drugs, alcohol, and mental health in their home was one of the last things we expected,” Rachel said.
Christmastime will be tough for many whānau, says KiwiHarvest.
“It’s not a good feeling when you must reach out for support, knowing you have no other options. Once we explained our situation [to GRG], there were no hesitations to help us. On that first phone call, our grandchildren had clothes and toys, and the food parcels started, meaning we could help our mokopuna.”
The food parcels provided by KiwiHarvest range from nutritious kai to fresh produce, and have been crucial for Rachel and Greg to maintain a stable household for their mokopuna.
“We’re able to put money towards our lawyer, power, rent, internet so that I’m able to work from home and [be] around our grandchildren,” Rachel said.
“We can send food to their mum on visitation to help support their proper meals, nutrition, and toiletries. Petrol is expensive now, and keeping up maintenance for our family van can be expensive as my husband travels for work.”
Organisations like KiwiHarvest are doing what they can to keep up with the skyrocketing demand, but they face constant pressure on their food stocks. Slashed government funding has also contributed to the organisation relying on corporate and public donations.
“GRG has given us grandparents a chance to help our grandchildren,” Rachel said.
“Not only can we give them a Christmas, we can give them gifts, birthdays, New Year’s, and school holidays. No words to express but a feeling of sincere appreciation when we look at our grandchildren with the happiness they deserve,” Rachel said.
