Orphaned Grandparent's Association Information
Dear Friend:
Thank you for your inquiry.
The Orphaned Grandparents Association was formed in 1987 with
assistance of The Family Centre, Edmonton, Alberta. In 1989 the Association became a registered non-profit society, and financial support was given through annual membership fee's and donations. The Association's purpose is to raise grandparent consciousness & promote the importance of grandparenting as a role and function that gives important meaning and empowerment to later life.
The Association provides support, assistance and information to grandparents raising grandchildren because of parental death, substance abuse, joblessness, neglect, incarceration, child abuse, abandonment, teenage pregnancy and AIDS, etc., and to grandchildren, grandparents and other extended family members who have limited or no access to their grandparents, grandchildren, nices and nephews.
The Association advocates education and prevention to acquaint the public regarding the importance and value of attachment bonds in a child's life and development, existance of the issues associated with a childs' loss of contact with their extended family members, and to alert families as to how and why these situations develop, (i.e. parental separation/divorce, death of adult child, unresolved family conflict with one/both parents, stepparent adoption, out of wedlock birth, etc.) so they may become aware of how these issues may be circumvented.
The Association is affiliated with the Foundation for Grandparenting, established 1980 by Arthur Kornhaber, M.D., founder/president, nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the importance of "Vital Connections" and activities for the betterment of children, families and society, the AARP Grandparent Information Centre, National Advisory Council on Aging, ACJNET Alberta,and numerous other seniors,grandchildren/grandparent groups across Canada, U.S.A., U.K. and other international resources, etc.
The Association is a bonafide information/resource centre, accessible to everyone, and has established recognition through it's activities and presentations, i.e. lectures/public speaking with the University of Alberta, Grant MacEwan Community College, Minerva Senior Studies Institute, Edmonton Public Schools Continuing Education Services, Community Services Yellowhead County, Concordia University College of Alberta,Northgate Lions Seniors Centre, news media, i.e. radio, t.v., newspapers, magazines, "Grandparent Power" book by A. Kornhaber, M.D., etc.
The Association is stakeholder's in the following programs:
Becoming a Better Grandparent seminars on Strengthening the Family and Building Intergenerational
Relationships, created by S. & R. Strom, College of Education, A.S.U.
Parenting After Separation is a mandated program sponsored by: the Court of Queen's Bench of Alberta, the Department of Alberta Justice and the Department of Justice Canada, and presented by The Family Centre.
Access to Children Following Parental Relationship Breakdown in Alberta, research report, May 1992, Canadian Research Institute for Law and the Family.
Access to Our Grandchildren: court ordered access, 1994 publication by Gordon Andreiuk and the Canadian Association on Gerontology.
Grandparent-Grandchild Contact Loss: findings from a study of "Grandparent Rights" members by Edward Kruk, Canadian Journal on Aging, 1995.
Mediation(Canada) Conference, 1994 in Banff, Alberta.
Promoting Contacts with Grandchildren and Grandparents, by Dr. B. Thomlison, Professor, Faculty of Social Work, U. of C., 09/30/97.
Motion-273, respecting the creation of a National Grandparents Day, adopted unanimously in the House of Commons, October 25,1995
Bill 204, the Alberta Provincial Court Amendment Act, 1997
House of Commons Canada, Alberta Summit on Justice, 1998.
None of these efforts are simple. Some will take time to come to fruitation. Education is an ongoing concern. Support is often the first step grandchildren, grandparents, and extended family members look for. A warm and understanding welcome is assured if you wish to contact the Association
visit website at: http://geocities.datacellar.net/Heartland/Valley/2529/
Sincerely,
Bill C-383 An Act to ammend the Divorce Act (right of spouses' parents to access to or custody of a child) presented by Liberal M.P. Mac Harb, recieved first reading, June 08, 2001.
O.G.A.'s President,
updated March. 10/2006