INSTITUTE, W.Va.— This spring and summer, West Virginia State University’s (WVSU) Kanawha County Healthy Grandfamilies program experienced a season of growth, connection and positive impact, supporting grandparents and other relative caregivers raising the next generation.
The county-based initiative is part of the statewide Healthy Grandfamilies program, which provides education and support services to grandparents who are raising their grandchildren in West Virginia.
Through a variety of educational opportunities and community experiences, the Kanawha County Healthy Grandfamilies program empowered participants to access valuable resources and build meaningful connections. A highlight this season was the launch of the Grandfamilies Storytelling Podcast, produced in partnership with the WVSU Economic Development Center in Charleston, in which grandparents and grandchildren interviewed one another in an oral-history format. Grandfamilies also visited Legal Aid of West Virginia, where they learned how to navigate the legal system and available kinship resources.
In collaboration with West Virginia Health Right, the program offered fitness classes and a Stealthy Healthy Cooking Class where grandparents learned to prepare nutritious meals for themselves and their households. Guest speakers from West Virginia Job Corps, the Kanawha County Board of Education, West Virginia Health Right and the Healing House shared insights on topics ranging from educational support and substance use disorder to healing and self-care for caregivers.
To further support families, participants received household care packages throughout the spring cohort. Those who attended 10 or more sessions were recognized with a visit to Horseshoe Heaven’s Itty-Bitty Therapy Farm in Scott Depot.
WVSU Extension Educator Arayuanna Mosley, who coordinates the Kanawha County Healthy Grandfamilies initiative, points to strong partnerships with local agencies and community organizations as key to the program’s success.
“Several newly enrolled families joined the program through referrals from partner organizations serving kinship families, demonstrating the reach and importance of these collaborative relationships,” she said. “In addition, many new families joined seeking social support and a sense of community, underscoring the program’s role beyond financial assistance.”
A common misconception, Mosley said, is that only grandparents with formal legal custody or those receiving other assistance are eligible for the program
“Healthy Grandfamilies is available at no cost to grandparents and other relative caregivers regardless of income, employment status or legal custody arrangements,” she said.
If you or someone you know is raising grandchildren in Kanawha County, contact Mosley at (304) 766-5116 or email aryaunna.mosley@wvstateu.edu.
For more information about the Kanawha County Healthy Grandfamilies program, visit https://healthygrandfamilies.com/.
This work is supported by the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.
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