Group targets people rearing grandchildren

NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Penn State Cooperative Extension of Lawrence County and Challenges Options in Aging will sponsor a support group for grandparents who are rearing their grandchildren. The group will meet from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Challenges Center at Shenley Square, 2706 Mercer Road.
There is no charge for the program, which includes dinner. There will be will be activities for children who attend with their grandparents.
Anyone wishing to attend must register by noon Friday by calling Marjorie at (724) 598-5109. Callers should specify whether they are attending both the dinner and program or the program only.
Penn State and Challenges officials said there are about 200,000 children in Pennsylvania living in households headed by grandparents or other relatives. In many of those households, the grandparents are the primary caregivers because parents will not be responsible for their children or cannot because of drug abuse, incarceration, illness, domestic violence or other family crises.