A Grandmother Steps Up and Finds a Helping Hand During a Freezing Maine Winter

Due to her daughter’s struggle with substance use, a Maine grandmother stepped up for her two grandsons. For most of their lives, the two boys have lived with her. She became a steady presence in their lives, making sure they were safe, supported, and able to grow up in a stable home. Like many grandparents raising grandchildren, it wasn’t something she had planned for, but it was something she did without hesitation.

Today, she balances caring for the boys with working part-time as a certified nursing assistant at a local hospital. Her days are filled with helping patients at work, then returning home to care for two growing kids who depend on her.

Recently, an unexpected setback made things even harder. Her car was totaled in an accident, leaving the family without reliable transportation during the middle of a New England winter. Without a car, everyday responsibilities like getting to work, getting the kids to school, and managing the routines suddenly became far more difficult.

With help from a local partner organization, the grandmother applied for financial assistance. Step Up Parents was able to provide support to help cover part of the family’s electric bill and send Uber gift cards to help with transportation while she works toward purchasing a new vehicle.

For this caregiver, the support meant relief at a moment when it was needed most.

“I was so desperate that your gesture came like an enlightenment to our life,” she shared in a message of thanks. “In the middle of this New England winter and without a car to take the kids to school, you popped in to relieve us. Me and the kids are here to express our gratitude.”

Stories like hers are a reminder that kinship caregivers often carry tremendous responsibility quietly and without recognition. They step in during moments of family crisis, providing stability, love, and a safe home for children who need it most. And sometimes, even heroes need a hand.

At Step Up Parents, we are honored to support caregivers like this grandmother—people who step up every day for the children in their lives. With the help of generous donors and community partners, families facing difficult circumstances can receive the support they need to keep moving forward together.