Grandparents and other kin caregivers can suddenly become the people handling school enrollment, transportation, meals, medical appointments, public-school changes, and a child’s emotional needs, often with very little warning. In many Black families, that caregiving role is rooted in love, protection, wisdom, and a deep commitment to keeping children connected to family and culture. This is not a deficit story. It is a story about capable, loving grandfamilies who may still need stronger community support as they help children thrive.

Short Answer: Grandfamilies often need more than love alone to stay steady. They may need help navigating school systems, daily costs, public-benefit changes, and children’s growing emotional and academic needs. One Atlanta-area organization, Lillie’s Foundation for Change, says it is responding to that need through education, advocacy, emergency support, and community-building, and its October 3, 2026 Masquerade Sneaker Ball is one way the wider community can participate. Because event details and program figures can change, confirm all information directly with the foundation before making plans.

Why Georgia Grandfamilies Matter

What happens when a grandparent or other relative becomes the steady hand guiding a child through everyday life?

Across the country, approximately 2.5 million children are being raised by grandparents, other relatives, or close family friends without a parent living in the household, according to Generations United’s 2025 grandfamilies fact sheet. These families are not defined by a lack of love. They are often built through protection, sacrifice, cultural continuity, and a deep commitment to keeping children connected to family.

The Black experience is an important part of this national picture. Generations United reports that about 26% of children whose grandparents are responsible for their care are Black or African American, while approximately 20% of responsible grandparent caregivers are Black or African American. For many Black families, grandparents provide more than daily supervision. They pass down family stories, spiritual traditions, recipes, language, resilience, and the confidence to know where a child comes from.

The U.S. Census Bureau also reports that about 6.7 million adults ages 30 and older lived with grandchildren under 18 in 2021. More than 2 million grandparents were responsible for most of their grandchildren’s basic care. These numbers show why community support matters: grandfamilies play a major role in how children find safety and stability.

Why Grandfamilies Need More Than Love

Love is the foundation, but what helps a household stay steady when school, health, and bills all need attention at once?

Grandparents and other kin caregivers may be doing school drop-off, homework help, medical care, discipline, comfort, and family leadership all at once. Alongside that love and commitment, some families may also need practical help with school supplies and clothing, utilities, housing stability, food, transportation, literacy, enrichment, respite, health care, benefits navigation, legal paperwork, and advocacy. Not every grandfamily has the same needs, but many are carrying complex responsibilities that affect both household stability and child development.

That is why issue-based support matters so much. When a caregiver has help keeping the lights on, getting a child to school, replacing outgrown uniforms, or finding after-school enrichment, it does more than solve one immediate problem. It can protect routines, reduce stress, and create more room for learning, emotional security, and joy at home.

The national data already points to the scale of the need. Generations United shows how many children are being raised in grandfamily and kinship-care settings, while the U.S. Census Bureau highlights how many adults live with and care for grandchildren. Those numbers do not tell the whole story of Black family strength, but they do show why schools, agencies, churches, nonprofits, and neighbors all have a role to play.

What Is Changing For Grandfamilies In Georgia?

What if the need for support is growing faster than many people realize? According to Lillie’s Foundation for Change’s public materials, the organization says Georgia could have more than 125,000 new grandparents and caretakers raising school-aged children by the end of 2026. That figure is a claim from the foundation and is not presented here as an independently verified state projection.

Lillie’s Foundation also says it is working to expand its programming virtually and bring more families into its caseload from 2027 through 2030. According to the organization, its virtual Educate GRANDS Workshops are intended to help grandparents and aging guardians prepare for changes affecting public schools and public-benefit programs such as SNAP, WIC, Medicare, and Medicaid. Program rules and school systems can be difficult to navigate, especially when a caregiver steps into a parenting role quickly, so families should confirm current eligibility, deadlines, and requirements directly with the relevant agency or school. This article does not provide benefits advice, and Lillie’s Foundation does not claim to resolve every case.

The organization also reports 248 grandparents and caretakers on its waiting list. In its communications, Lillie’s Foundation says its outreach is intended to reach the 95,268 grandparents raising school-aged children it identifies in Georgia and more than 300,000 children being raised by grandparents or aging guardians/caretakers. Those figures come from the foundation’s own communications and may use different definitions, categories, or timeframes, so they should not be treated as one independently verified dataset.

For grandparents and aging guardians who want to learn more, Lillie’s Foundation also invites people raising school-aged children nationwide to complete its Grandparent Interest Form and join its Black Grandparents Network, according to the organization’s materials. Families should review the form and any follow-up information carefully and should not assume eligibility beyond what the organization states.

What Is Lillie’s Foundation For Change?

When a need is this large, what does it look like when one community organization decides to step in?

Lillie’s Foundation says its work grew from the family history of founder Darryl G. Allen and his wife, Cassandra Allen, who were both raised by grandparents. According to the foundation’s About Us page, the organization was developed in 2012 to provide support and educational enrichment for grandparents raising school-aged children and for the grandchildren in their care.

Its mission is centered on “empowering families through love.” That approach is especially meaningful for Black families because it recognizes grandparents as leaders, protectors, teachers, and anchors: not simply as older adults who need assistance. Within a much larger statewide and national need, Lillie’s Foundation presents itself as one organization working to offer concrete support.

The foundation identifies several areas of service, including the Healthy GRANDS Initiative, which focuses on social, emotional, mental health, and wellness; the GRANDS Read Initiative, which promotes literacy; and the Grandfamilies Program, which offers outreach, academic support, and enrichment opportunities. Its Lillie’s CARES information also describes emergency assistance, school supplies, family-strengthening programming, resource referrals, and advocacy.

These services cannot meet every need a family may face, but they represent an important truth: a grandparent should not have to carry an entire household alone.

What Is The 2026 Masquerade Sneaker Ball?

What happens when formal elegance meets sneaker culture? Lillie’s Foundation is inviting supporters to find out.

The 2026 Annual Masquerade Sneaker Ball is scheduled for Saturday, October 3, 2026. Guests are encouraged to wear formal masquerade attire with their favorite sneakers. The event will include an art auction, live entertainment, and contests for Best Mask and Most Creative Sneakers.

The foundation has announced DJ Raymont, Hasan Green, and the Rehoboth Band, and host Javan Jones as part of the entertainment lineup in its public materials and Instagram announcement.

There are a few details you should verify before attending:

• Start Time: The press release and official website list 6:00 p.m., while the foundation’s Instagram graphic lists 6:30 p.m. Confirm the start time directly with Lillie’s Foundation.
• Location: The press release describes a premier Metro Atlanta venue. An earlier email referenced Blue Mark Studios in Historic Howell Station, but the current website does not clearly confirm the venue. Verify the location through the official event information before traveling.
• Ticket Price: The event poster lists tickets at $100. Confirm current pricing, ticket availability, packages, and payment details on the official Lillie’s Foundation website.
• Accessibility and Parking: Ask about accessible seating, parking, public transportation, coat check, food options, and any age or dress requirements before the event.

The foundation’s current Purchase Tickets button leads to a PayPal-hosted payment page. Because that payment page does not clearly display all event information in the scraped text, use the foundation’s website and contact information to confirm details before completing a transaction.

What Will The Event Support?

Why does a party matter when families are facing practical challenges? According to the Lillie’s Foundation press release, proceeds from ticket sales, sponsorships, and the live mobile auction are intended to support the Lillie’s CARES Program. The release identifies utility assistance, housing stability, and K–12 school clothing as areas of support for an active caseload of 25 grandparents this year.

The release also says proceeds will support Lillie’s PETALS, a higher-education milestone scholarship program for graduating seniors raised exclusively by grandparents. These are claims and program descriptions provided by Lillie’s Foundation and should not be understood as a guarantee that every attendee or family will receive assistance.

The larger lesson is clear: support for school clothes, utilities, housing, literacy, enrichment, health, and respite can help a caregiver create a steadier home. When a child’s basic needs are more secure, there is more room for reading together, managing emotions, participating in school, and making happy memories.

Why September Is A Meaningful Time To Show Up

September offers a natural moment to honor grandparents because it includes federally recognized National Grandparents Day. That recognition can open the door for families, churches, schools, and local groups to talk more honestly about what grandparents and other kin caregivers are carrying. But a one-day celebration is not the same as sustained support.

If you love a grandfamily, September can remind you to move from appreciation into action. That might mean checking in before school routines get overwhelming, offering transportation, helping with supplies, sharing resource information, or supporting organizations that are doing this work year-round.

How Can You Support Lillie’s Foundation?

What if you want to respond to the need in a practical way? Lillie’s Foundation invites community members, businesses, faith communities, educators, and family advocates to participate in several ways:

• Buy A Ticket: Visit the official foundation website to confirm ticketing, price, time, and event details.
• Become A Sponsor: Review the foundation’s sponsorship information and contact the organization with questions.
• Make A Donation: Use the foundation’s official donation option after confirming that you are on the organization’s verified website.
• Volunteer: Contact Lillie’s Foundation through its official contact page to ask about current volunteer opportunities.
• Share Resources: Tell a grandparent, school counselor, church leader, or family advocate about the foundation’s Grandparent Interest Form.

Successful Black Parenting Magazine believes community support should honor the dignity and leadership of Black caregivers. If you are raising a child in a grandfamily, you may also find it helpful to explore our conversation about family generational trauma as you build healthy communication and emotional safety across generations.

Learning Moment For Black Parents

How can you show up for a grandfamily without taking away their dignity, privacy, or leadership?

Start with respect and with a specific question. Instead of saying, “You need help,” try asking, “What would make this week easier?” That keeps the grandparent or caregiver in the lead and gives them room to name what actually matters right now. One family may need school uniforms. Another may need a ride to an appointment, grocery support, tutoring, respite, or help filling out paperwork.

You can also honor grandparent leadership by naming what is already strong in the home. A child might write a thank-you note, ask a grandparent about family history, or help plan a small family celebration. Those simple actions build belonging and remind children that caregiving is not just labor. It is love, memory, wisdom, and continuity.

Mutual aid works best when it protects privacy and preserves choice. Do not share a family’s personal details, finances, health information, or legal circumstances without permission. Give clear options and let the caregiver decide what support fits. According to its public materials, Lillie’s Foundation’s model includes education, advocacy, resource referrals, emergency assistance, and community-building, but that does not guarantee services for every family or resolve every need.

For many Black families, thriving is built through both everyday love and intentional community investment. A fundraiser cannot solve every challenge a grandfamily faces, but it can help bring people together, raise awareness, and direct resources toward children who deserve stability, opportunity, and joy. When you support grandfamilies in practical ways, you help make home feel more secure, school feels more manageable, and the future feels more hopeful.