Generations United

Join us from June 25-27 in Louisville, KY, for an enriching experience at the 2025 Global Intergenerational Conference, co-hosted by Harbor House of Louisville! Now in its 23rd year, the conference will bring together hundreds of professionals, educators, caregivers, advocates, and enthusiasts from around the world to learn, connect, and share innovative practices and programs on a range of intergenerational topics, including kinship and grandfamilies. Registration is now open—secure your spot and take advantage of the lowest possible rate! #GensUnited25

🎬 We’re cooking up something special for the 23rd Global Intergenerational Conference in Louisville, KY this summer! Generations United is proud to present a special screening of the upcoming Netflix film Nonnas—a heartfelt celebration of family, food, and connection. 🍝 We’ll also close out the conference with a special session featuring representatives from the film—you won’t want to miss it! 📽️ Watch the trailer: https://lnkd.in/gh42Bgby 🗓️ Register by April 30 to secure the lowest possible rate: https://lnkd.in/ghVeFaV2 Harbor House of Louisville

Date and time change! Join us on Thursday, April 24 at 1 PM Eastern for a webinar on TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) child-only grants, which are often the only source of ongoing financial support for children raised by grandparents and other relatives with no parents in the home. During our time together, we will explore newly compiled data on TANF child-only grants for each state, compiled by our partners at Child Trends. Learn how your state compares to others, along with strategies and policies that states, tribes, and territories have used to improve kinship/grandfamilies’ access to this important support. 💻 Register here: https://lnkd.in/e5GvPpK9 #KinshipCare, #Grandfamilies

Guardianship assistance programs have existed in some states and tribes since the 1980s. They were created to give an option for children placed with relatives in foster care to exit that system into a permanent home with their relatives. Massachusetts was the first place to pilot such a program, and the list grew rapidly. In 2008, based on the success of these early programs, Congress passed a law allowing all states, tribes, and territories to use their title IV-E child welfare funds to offer a Guardianship Assistance Program (GAP). Because many jurisdictions already had programs using their own funds, they were able to quickly pivot and adopt GAP. Now about 42 states, 11 tribes, and at least 3 territories have the federal GAP option – most of those places also have state-funded GAP for those children who are not title IV-E eligible. States often call these programs by different names, such as R-GAP in Washington, Kin-GAP in California, and Subsidized Permanent Legal Custodianship (SPLC) in Pennsylvania. There are certain eligibility requirements that all jurisdictions must have in place to access the federal funds:  ▶️ Child must be title IV-E eligible ▶️ Child must live with a licensed relative foster parent for six consecutive months prior to guardianship – states have flexibility in how they define “relative” and most include non-related kin such as god parents ▶️ Child reunifying with their parents or getting adopted are not appropriate options for the child ▶️ The guardianship assistance agreement must be negotiated before the court awards guardianship to the relative ▶️ Guardianship assistance cannot exceed the foster care rate for that child ▶️ Ineligible siblings of an eligible child in the same home can qualify for federal GAP and states have broad flexibility to define “sibling” There are no federal requirements to limit GAP to children with special needs or to older children – and we do not consider it best practice to limit the programs with these requirements. GAP was created to provide options for children for whom adoption and reunification are not appropriate. Much like when adoption assistance was newer, GAP is often underutilized. Providing it as an option and discussing its financial and legal implications with licensed relative foster parents is very important. Families are their own best experts - but they need balanced information to make the best decision for them. Generations United has state-specific charts that can help social workers and kinship service providers have this discussion with the families. 💻 To access your state chart comparing adoption and guardianship for children exiting foster care, see: https://lnkd.in/g4JEnnQG  📑 To learn more about GAP, see: https://lnkd.in/eaY2hvjc  #KinshipCare, #Grandfamilies

Generations United is thrilled to be well-represented at the American Society on Aging's On Aging Conference in Orlando, FL April 21–24! If you're attending, we’d love for you to join us and say hello. 👋 https://lnkd.in/gDXWW6P Our team, alongside other leading experts in the field, will be speaking at the following sessions: 👉 Sick of Old vs. Young Framing? Join YODA: Youngers and Olders Dismantling Ageism, on Tuesday, April 22, at 1:30 PM ET, with Generations United Executive Director Donna Butts and Intergenerational Specialist Ilonka Walker 👉 Healthier Lives Across Generations Through Intergenerational Living, on Wednesday, April 23, at 11 AM ET, with Donna and Ilonka. 👉 Beyond Generations Summit: BIPOC Grandparents Raising Grandchildren, on Wednesday, April 23, at 1:30 PM ET, with GRAND Voices Support Coordinator Robyn Wind 👉 Family Caregiver Services and Supports: Resources and Program Highlights on Wednesday, April 23, at 5 PM ET, with Kylee (Craggett) Kern, Technical Assistance Specialist for our Grandfamilies & Kinship Support Network. #OnAging2025

Are you passionate about building #intergenerational connections? Show your support for Global Intergenerational Week (April 24–30) by signing up as a supporter! Join this global movement to uplift and strengthen relationships between people of all ages. Whether you’re hosting an event, sharing stories, or simply spreading the word, your support helps build a more connected, inclusive world. #GIW25 👉 Sign up as a supporter to show your commitment to all things intergenerational! https://lnkd.in/e_AaWYuB 🌎 Discover what’s happening in the U.S. and around the world. https://lnkd.in/eTEjSYij The Eisner Foundation Generations Working Together

Check out this newly released report from CoGenerate! Through 9 key findings, individual profiles, thought-provoking quotes and 5 recommendations, Can Intergenerational Connection Heal Us? reveals the critical role that community organizations play in bringing generations together to reduce social isolation and loneliness. 

Generations United's Executive Director Donna Butts is quoted in a compelling new report from CoGenerate that highlights a powerful but too often overlooked solution to social isolation and loneliness -- the hundreds, if not thousands, of community organizations across the country that are bringing generations together for connection, collaboration, friendship and healing. It includes 9 key findings, individual profiles, thought-provoking quotes and 5 things that are needed to support this nascent and promising field moving forward. Check it out and let us know what you think in the comments! What stood out to you – and why? https://lnkd.in/eUFbzStH

Reminder for child welfare agencies and your partners! Join us tomorrow April 15th at 2 PM ET for a "train the trainers" webinar. We will share our new training to help your state or tribe embrace its kin-first culture and roll out kin-specific foster home approval standards. Get the tools you need to tailor and deliver our training package - all free of charge - to your agency and community. 💻 Register here: https://lnkd.in/e4avhZNW #KinshipCare, #Grandfamilies

Generations United is proud to announce Dr. Jay Miller, Dean and Dorothy A. Miller Research Professor in Social Work Education at the University of Kentucky, as the opening speaker for our Pre-Conference Grandfamilies/Kinship Symposium on Wednesday, June 25, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. in Louisville, KY, just before our 23rd Global Intergenerational Conference begins. Dr. Miller is a nationally recognized expert whose research and leadership have influenced child welfare systems, youth justice, and self-care practices for helping professionals across the country. From local communities to federal policy, his work is shaping how systems support families. He has been honored with the Paul Grannis Award, the Sunny Andrews Award for Outstanding Commitment to Regulatory Board Service, and the Supporting the Workforce Award from the Children’s Bureau. He is also a proud Hall of Fame inductee at Western Kentucky University’s College of Health and Human Services. Dr. Miller’s keynote will offer powerful, practical insight rooted in lived experience—particularly for those serving kinship families outside of the formal child welfare system. With a focus on innovation, equity, and connection, this symposium is designed to inspire and equip you to take action. Come hear from a leader in the field—and leave with the tools and renewed passion to make a difference.    Learn more about the Grandfamilies/Kinship Symposium here: https://lnkd.in/dewTX5Wi Register now to hear from Dr. Miller: https://lnkd.in/ghVeFaV2  Harbor House of Louisville #GensUnited25 #Conference #Register #Louisville #Kentucky #Intergenerational #Multigenerational #GenerationsUnited #Grandfamilies #Kinship #ChildWelfare #FosterCare #Advocacy #PublicPolicy #Diversity