As I write this update and look forward to the end of this crazy year, I’ve challenged myself to find the silver linings from 2020. This Thanksgiving, we are grateful to the Family Nurturing Center for inviting us to merge our Grandmas2Go program with their roster of incredible programs supporting families in Jackson and Josephine Counties!

Our volunteers have been quite creative in staying in touch with their families during the pandemic. In May, we supported four families who welcomed new babies into their lives. Volunteers stepped-up to make hundreds of face masks when none were available. After the Almeda fire, G2G volunteers packed hygiene products for families who lost everything. The younger members of the FNC team sorted and organized clothing for adults and children. And the Farm and Food program packaged hundreds of bags of groceries including fruits and vegetables from the FNC program at Hanley Farm. FNC employees and volunteers delivered groceries, clothing, diapers, wipes and other necessities to over 3,000 families. Our Grandmas have also been delivering meals to families over the years—we beefed-up the program and gave it a new name: Dinner2Doorstep. This is all definitely a silver lining! Hopefully, by the time you read this article, we will be helping all families who need support with online schooling.

If you’ve been wondering how you can get involved with local families while staying safe, please consider volunteering for the “ScreenTime w/ Grandmas2G” program. (We welcome Grandpas, too!) Contact G2G at FNC: 541-779-5242 or go online to www.familynurturingcenter.org and click on Get Involved or go to Grandmas2Go.org and see the volunteer information.

We look forward to welcoming you into our family of sensational senior volunteers!

Our mission is to connect women of wisdom and experience with struggling families to mentor, nurture and support parents, infants, and toddlers during the most critical years of childhood brain growth—from pregnancy to preschool. This multi-generational program is changing lives … not only for struggling families, but also for senior volunteers who are staying active, engaged, and finding a new purpose, as they give back to their communities.

Featured image: Linda Otto & Joy Marshall, Managing Director, with huggable substitutes during Covid restrictions!