What program families and mentors are saying about Family Friends

“I like Family Friends. It’s important to me because we get to do a lot of things. We get to go a lot of places we wouldn’t get to go to without Family Friends. I’m a senior [raising a grandson]. [My grandson] met a couple of friends. I’ve met people too [through Family Friends]. If I didn’t have Family Friends, I don’t know what either of us would do. We really like [the Family Friends Program Manager]. And, [Mr. C./Family Friends Mentor] is nice…He’s a good person to talk to…another person to help. We wouldn’t have this if it weren’t for Family Friends. [You] really help me out. Some of these places we went to [on respite trips], I didn’t even know about”. 
—Ms.  R. (A Grandmother Raising Her Teen Grandson)

"The grandparents get to talk while the kids have fun! I love it. The kids like the trips and stuff. They have a lot of fun…all you see is teeth [e.g., smiling]. It’s good to be able to take them places because things are so expensive, especially when you’re on a fixed income or have like two or three kids…I appreciate it. [My granddaughter] was about seven years old when she started [in Family Friends]…The group has truly been good to us…especially having adults to talk to while the kids get to talk”.
—Ms. T. (A Longtime Family Friends Grandmother Raising Her Grandchild)

“I feel as though the [Family Friends] program is a good community resource to help out the caregivers…especially the respite trips because we may not have money. We also receive resources and education. I feel like as a grandmother raising grandkids like I can come to this organization to help out in all these areas...”
—Ms. E. (A Grandmother Raising Multiple Grandchildren

“We don’t just visit the kid[s]. We visit the whole family”.
—Ms. G. (Family Friends Mentor)

“Family Friends means a lot to me…you mean a lot to me…especially when I felt abandoned by [relatives] and…so called friends and so forth…The program and you were there for me which I truly appreciate…just going the extra mile for myself as well as [my child]. The program…especially when [I] don’t have the funding—it’s a huge lift off my shoulders… weight off…when I’m able to take [my child] to certain places when normally I would not be able to because of my circumstances as far as medically and financially.

So, it’s been a huge help what Family Friends do[es] for people in my situation—low income or [who] even have severe medical problems and also have children with special needs; it’s like a double-whammy. It’s refreshing to know that there are programs like Family Friends that assist families like myself. It’s pretty rare”.
-Ms. A. (A Mother Raising an Elementary School-Aged Child)

“We’re people helping people to help themselves…”
—Mr. C. (Family Friends Mentor) 

“The importance of Family Friends is amazing because I’ve met families that are just like mine…Some of us are in other programs together but it’s that camaraderie that started in Family Friends. [Ms. R./a fellow Family Friends Grandmother and I] try to get together once a week. Plus, there’s [Ms. D./from another Family Friends Family]. We’ve met so many families just like us”. 
—Ms. C. (A Grandmother raising Multiple Grandchildren)