CLICK TO HEAR JACK HALL’S INTERVIEW WITH DARREN YOUNG, UPCAP
If you’re 55 or over and caring for someone else’s child, there is some financial help available through the UPCAP “Kinship Program.”
Darren Young is the manager of Business and Community Relations at UPCAP. He tells RRN News that this program can help a lot of older people who are helping family members across the Upper Peninsula.
“We provide financial assistance to anyone, 55 and over, who’s raising a grandchild or a family member’s child,” Young said. “The child must be 18 years of age or younger, and the parents of the child cannot live in the house. This provides some assistance for basic needs. We can help with food, shelter, utilities, and we can provide some respite for those caregivers.”
What does that “respite” assistance entail?
“Sending that child to a sports camp, or youth camp, or band camp,” Young explained. “Get the kid out of the house and give the grandparents a little break.”
Young says that the first step for those interested is to call 211.
“211 is a human, community, and social, telephone resource center that provides assistance to different communities across the U.P.,’ Young said.”Just ask for the Kinship application.”
There’s also more information on-line at www.upcap.com.
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