Generations United Stands For Social Security With New Campaign

As the Fiscal Commission is considering recommending to President Obama that Congress cut Social Security benefits, a diverse group of organizations – including Generations United - launched a major new campaign today to push back and demand that Congress not make any benefit cuts. New polling shows massive public support for members of Congress who support strengthening, not cutting, Social Security.

More than 60 national and state organizations, representing more than 30 million Americans, have joined the campaign, which will remind elected officials that Social Security remains the “third rail” of American politics and that any sort of benefit cuts are opposed by wide majorities, from liberals to Tea Partiers. At today’s press conference, participants outlined their plans to hold members of Congress who try to cut Social Security benefits accountable.

Social Security provides vital financial security, not only to our nation's retirees, but also to children and families through Survivors, Retirement, Disability and Supplemental Security Insurance benefits. It protects 98 percent of all children in the event of death or disability of a caregiver. Read more in our latest fact sheet.

For more on the campaign, visit http://strengthensocialsecurity.org/

For more on the polling, visit http://strengthensocialsecurity.org/sites/default/files/LakeMemoPublicFINAL6-29-10.pdf

Remembering Daniel Schorr

Here at Generations United, we are sad to recognize the passing of groundbreaking journalist Daniel Schorr, 93, in Washington. Along with having an impressive resume and an impeccable reputation, Daniel was the keynote speaker at our first Generations United conference, stepping in when his wife, Lisbeth Schorr, was unable to attend. We are lucky to have known and worked with Daniel, and send our condolences to his family.

It's Not Either-Or

This recent Letter to the Editor in the Washington Post is a textbook example of the false either-or perspective that produces bad policy decisions.

John Schappi, 81, writes that he "would not be particularly happy to have to pay more in taxes or get less in Social Security and Medicare. But I could accept this if it meant repackaging government assistance so that my two children, three grandchildren and one great-grandchild have a better shot at achieving the financial security that I have."

Mr. Schappi's offer to sacrifice on behalf of children is generous and well-intentioned. However, cutting back Social Security -- which supports all generations -- would actually weaken protections and future benefits for children. Slashing benefits for survivors, children and adults with disabilities, grandparents raising grandchildren and others for whom Social Security prevents a slide into poverty will hurt families. And cutting back a federal program that aids seniors won't necessarily mean an increase for children. The perception that youth and older adults are in competition for limited resources is false. Children, and seniors, don't exist in a vacuum. They exist in interdependent families.

New Resource: Social Security, Children and Families

"When I was 14, my dad passed away. I was a freshman in high school. Social Security Survivors Benefits helped us with bills, food, our house, and my education."
-Maureen Sullivan, Wilmington, DE

Social Security benefits children. Six and a half million children in the United States receive part of their family income from Social Security.

Despite the unparalleled success of Social Security as a children's program, some lawmakers and pundits are arguing for cuts to Social Security in the name of children and grandchildren. In reality, slashing Social Security would hurt economic security for children everywhere.

Generations United's new fact sheet includes

- descriptions of how Social Security benefits children
- stories from real-life Social Security beneficiaries
- an easy-to-read chart on the five main ways Social Security helps children.

Download the PDF fact sheet today!

Please spread this through your networks. If you have questions about the fact sheet, email Senior Public Policy Analyst Terence Kane at tkane@gu.org.

We have also developed a list of simple ways for you and your organization to help with the strategic circulation of up-to-date information on the Social Security debate. Complete this quick form (PDF) and return to mness@gu.org by July 30th, 2010 to raise awareness about the importance of Social Security for children and families.

Photo by Angela Skali, Kansas City, MO

From Donna: Remembering Robert Butler

We are saddened by the loss of Dr. Robert N. Butler – Bob to his friends – who passed away Sunday in New York after a battle with leukemia. Bob was 83. He was a pioneer in the field of aging and a lifelong proponent of intergenerational connections.

We’re privileged to have worked with Bob, who was proud to tell us and others that he was raised by his grandparents. He knew the danger of using age as a dividing line and worked to educate others on the interdependency of the generations and of the importance of supporting both children and older adults in public policy. He wrote about this when he mentioned Generations United in his 2008 book, The Longevity Revolution.

In June Bob invited me to speak to the journalists assembled for his International Longevity Center’s Age Boom Academy. I’d done this several times over the years and always enjoyed the informal exchange of ideas and Bob’s challenging questions. He mentioned again a study he thought we should work on together to update the picture of investments in the old and young. He believed some advocates were presenting an inaccurate account of how many of our federal, state and local dollars were going to each generation. While Bob didn’t want to spark a zero sum debate, he did think we needed a realistic portrayal of investments across ages. We didn’t get to finish this conversation but I hope in some small way, the work we are engaged in at Generations United will honor Bob and lead to a healthier discussion and understanding of the commitment between and among generations.

Our thoughts go out to Bob’s family, his colleagues and friends. He may be gone but his influence on the field of aging will be felt for generations.

Tom Taylor profiled in video

It's not often that you come across someone as energetic, knowledgeable and charismatic as Tom Taylor, Generations United's Special Advisor for Seniors4Kids. Tom, 83, has spent his entire career helping children succeed. Watch this video by Medill News Service reporter Camille Doty that profiles Tom and talks about his work with us.

Meet Thomas Taylor - early childhood advocate from Camille Doty on Vimeo.

From the National Center on Grandfamilies: Grandparents in the FMLA

On June 22, The U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division issued an Administrator’s Interpretation clarifying that the definition of “son or daughter” in the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) includes grandparents and other relatives raising children without any type of legal relationship to the children, both same sex partners raising children and other non-traditional families.

What is the FMLA?

Since its passage in 1993, the FMLA allows eligible employees in businesses of a certain size to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in a 12-month period due to:

• the birth of a son or daughter

• the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care

• or to care for a son or daughter with a serious health condition.

Where do grandfamilies fit in?

This Interpretation clarifies that the status of in loco parentis, or acting “in the place of a parent,” includes grandparents and other relatives raising children, and cites legislative history to show that this has been the case since the law’s passage. It also clarifies that the FMLA does not restrict the number of parents a child may have. A child may even have biological or adoptive parents living in the same home, and a grandparent, aunt or uncle may be acting “in loco parentis” and take unpaid leave.

Establishing “in loco parentis”

The Interpretation states that employees do not have to establish that they provide both day-to-day care AND financial support to be considered “in loco parentis.” An employee only has to give a “simple statement “that they are acting “in loco parentis” by providing either day-to-day care OR financial support of the child.

Generations United’s perspective

We are encouraged by this Interpretation. As with many federal laws, states, employers, localities, and others often misinterpret the laws and impose additional requirements on families trying to access services or programs. We hope this is the first of many generated by the Executive Branch to clarify laws for grandfamilies, such as the definitions of (1) “familial status” under the Fair Housing Act, so its protections are not limited to those families with a legal relationship like legal custody; and (2) “in loco parentis” in the Individuals with Disabilities Act, so that some school districts do not require relative caregivers of children to go through the extra hurdle of becoming a “surrogate parent” for purposes of participating in the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process.

This post is from Ana Beltran, JD, Generations United Special Advisor for the National Center on Grandfamilies.

Blogging from Philadelphia AmericaSpeaks

Donna here, blogging from AmericaSpeaks. I spent Saturday, June 26 as an observer at the Philadelphia AmericaSpeaks forum, one of the many happening simultaneously around the country. The AmericaSpeaks organizers are to be congratulated on an event that brought out voters from many different walks of life to grapple with the tough fiscal problems that our lawmakers deal with every day. I felt the organizers did a good job in Philadelphia where people ranged from members of the Tea Party to those mobilized by MoveOn.Org. While the materials were far from perfect, they tried to present balanced information and made space for people to add other perspectives.

I enjoyed meeting the people at my table and hearing their take on various solutions to budget difficulties. Participants at each table tried to form consensus on ways to balance the federal budget. At my table, no one was satisfied with the options presented and the biggest whoops and hollers were for adding a single payer option in health care. I saw lots of support for defense spending cuts, with the caveat that it wouldn't hurt the troops. I witnessed anger at policy makers, hearing statements like, "Policy makers need to get back to representing us" and "Recovery has been only for Wall Street. None of my friends feel bailed out."

I was heartened that the participants around me understood that we take care of future generations by what we do today - and that cuts can affect all generations.

I'll leave you with two stories: An older Native American activist at my table said he came in jaded and left feeling good about the discourse and inspired to get re-engaged. And an unemployed, uninsured woman at my table who was about to lose her house cried when at one point when "Our House" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young was played as background music. "Our house, is a very, very, very fine house. / With two cats in the yard / Life used to be so hard..." We all need to remember that life is still hard for many people and we need to be sure we are taking care of our neighbors today if we hope to have a strong tomorrow.

-- Donna Butts

A Letter from Carrie Ryan

A few weeks ago, Carrie Ryan - a college student who, when in high school in California, organized and led a successful intergenerational program - was invited to go to the White House Mother's Day Tea with her grandmother on behalf of Generations United. Read Carrie's eloquent account below!

----------

It was an experience I will never forget. Walking through the threshold of the White House, hand in hand with my grandmother, who was, in every way, the reason we were both there. She was in her best brightly colored suit, I in my best dress. And together, we walked the halls of the White House amongst many other women, mothers and daughters, mentors and mentees, granddaughters and grandmothers. All of us came from different backgrounds, all of us had different stories. But we were all there for the same reason – at some point in our lives, we had all been touched by an incredible woman, who told us we could do anything, who pushed us to give of our gifts, and who held our hand as we did it. My grandmother was and is such a woman for me. And so, walking around the East room, through the ballroom and the Green room, I held her hand with gratitude, in comfort, and to experience the moment close beside her.

I have always held my grandmothers hand. I have a picture of us in my room, walking together down the sidewalk near our church, linked together. I was a young five years old and the difference in our ages is noticeable. But the difference in our ages is the beauty of the picture – an older woman and a young girl, connected through love, family, hands. And this is how it has always been. I have had an incredible bond with my grandmother, a connection that far surpasses differing years and generational gaps. We are bound up in one another – she shares her stories, I share mine. And on May 7, we were fortunate to share a story together, a significant story that is a milestone for both of us.

Mother’s Day Tea at the White House, hosted by the welcoming and gracious Michelle Obama, is that story my grandmother and I were blessed to experience together. Sent on behalf of Generations United, which I humbly and gratefully represented – to my great honor, my grandmother and I toured the halls of our nation’s home and sat for tea amongst Washington representatives and some of the most distinguished women of the country.

Sandwiched between Jill Biden’s Chief of Staff, the only female Chief of Staff of a UN President, and a military wife and her daughter, my grandmother and I enjoyed conversation with our table mates about influential women in our lives, what it is to be an American woman, and the reason we had all been invited to the tea. I heard stories about what life is like on a military base, on a campaign trail, and meeting with Sudanese and Iraqi officials. Throughout the tea, as I was listening to others stories and sharing my own, my grandmother and I kept looking at each other in awe. What we were experiencing was phenomenal, what we were hearing was transformational – and to be able to do it together made it all the more special.

After the tea had commenced and the beautiful plates of small tea sandwiches and scones were passed around, Michelle Obama began to make her way around the room to visit with each person at each table. With about twelve tables of ten people each, it took Michelle a while to graciously and warmly greet each invitee. As Michelle approached our table, I tried to prepare something to say – but my mind drew a blank. As she made her way over to greet my grandmother and I, she hugged me first (with an embrace that immediately put me at ease) and I subsequently introduced her to my grandmother. The immensity of the moment was overwhelming, but when I was introducing my grandmother, everything became quite clear. My grandmother and my grandfather and all of the older people in my life that have been so influential were the reasons I was there. And I told Michelle that. I spoke to her about what my grandmother meant to me. How her influence and many of my relationships with older people propelled me to start the project, Bridging the Generations, I began in high school and am continuing today. I expressed the importance of intergenerational relationships in my life – how they had shaped my very being, and how they had touched my soul – and urged her to support organizations like Generations United. Michelle agreed, applauded me for my work and congratulated my grandmother for the mentorship, love, and support she gave to me. She continued to talk about how wonderful it had been for her to have her mother in the White House and how her children loved their grandmother from the very depths of their being. She knew that the bond her children had with her mother was something special, something to be cherished. She thanked us for being there and continued to make her way around the table.

Speaking to Michelle Obama and hugging her twice was something out of a dream. But probably the most special part of the day was the recognition of the importance of intergenerational relationships. I was at the White House because of all of those talks I had with residents in the Nursing Home, all of the advice I had been given by my grandparents, and all of the lessons I had learned through the many narratives of older people I had met throughout the years. This tea was in celebration of them, of young and old together, of the incredible bond my grandmother and I have. So as I walked out of the White House, having met phenomenal women, having seen the nation’s home, I held my grandmothers hand and gave her a tight squeeze and said, “We did it.” And we wouldn’t have been able to do it had we not been together, united.

I go forward this summer with this memory and this special story in my heart to India, where I will be conducting a fully funded anthropological research project on elder care. I will be researching with four different organizations to explore the cultural debate occurring in this country about the implications of the changing elder care methods from family based care to more institutionalized care, like nursing homes and senior centers. With open eyes, ears, and heart, I will listen to the stories of India’s elderly and their families. I am ecstatic to learn about how the bond my grandmother and I share might translate halfway across the world.

I want to thank Generations United for the opportunity they have bestowed upon me and for the wonderful leadership they provide in the field of intergenerational relations. It is wonderful to know that there are so many people in this world that cherish these relationships and that are committed to encouraging, fostering, and nurturing them. For everything you have done for me and for helping me recognize the significance of young and old together, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.

We're in the Washington Post!

Read what Generations United Executive Director Donna Butts had to say about Social Security's value to kids, parents and grandparents in Sunday's Washington Post:

The champions stepping up to protect Social Security ["Social Security's vanguard against cuts," news story, June 9] are to be praised. However, lost in the debate over the deficit commission's possible consideration of cuts to Social Security benefits is the reality that Social Security is a promise that protects all generations, all families.

Social Security, which turns 75 this year, provides insurance for 98 percent of children who have lost a parent. Social Security also serves children and spouses of workers who have become disabled; families of fallen service members; grandparents raising grandchildren; and severely disabled children and their family caregivers. Framing the issue as a choice between seniors' Social Security benefits and money for kids' education is false and irresponsible. Children, parents and grandparents all benefit from Social Security, a promise worth keeping.

Have you benefited from Social Security survivors benefits? Do you rely on Social Security as you raise your grandchildren? Contact Carol Scott at cscott @ gu.org to share your story as Generations United works to educate legislators about the promise of Social Security.

New York Seniors4Kids Connect With Legislators

Headed by New York Seniors4Kids State Coordinator Paul Arfin, seven Captains4Kids visited legislators and legislators' offices in Albany, NY on Tuesday, May 25 as part of Winning Beginning New York's "Strengthening the Pre-K Investment: A Working Forum."

Captains had in-person visits to five legislators' offices, and hand-delivered New York Seniors4Kids Profile Publications to 62 legislative offices. Way to go, and thank you for all you do!




Photo captions: TOP, from L-R: Linda James, Henriette Miller, Marci Young of Pre-K Now, Margie Usher, Emma Kimble, Vivian Spears and Rosena Addison. BOTTOM, from L-R: Margie Usher, Linda James, State Senator Joseph Robach (R) of Rochester, Paul Arfin and Rosena Addison.

From Our Policy Team: America’s budget matters for all ages

This blog is part of Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW)’s 2nd annual blog day in honor of Older Americans Month. Share your thoughts on how the budget can support persons of all ages by visiting WOW’s website and writing your own blog http://www.wowonline.org/budgetmatters/

Above call, the federal budget is an expression of our values as a nation. In making a budget, Congress chooses what investments to make and how to raise adequate revenues to support those investments. Those budget decisions should be a manifestation of American values.

There is no greater core American value than our commitment to support families when they face financial hardship, disability, or death. Our budget should in particular support the most vulnerable members of the family: our children and seniors.

Many are using the economic downturn to argue for a reduced commitment to families. Reducing the deficit in the long-term is important because an unsustainable debt could harm our ability to make needed investments. However, enacting a balanced budget now would actually be counter-productive to an economic recovery. During a recession, deficit spending is necessary to get the economy moving again.

As Congress considers budget reforms, lawmakers should resist the temptation to cut vital benefits like Social Security. Congress should keep its promise and strengthen Social Security for all generations, ensuring that children, youth, and seniors receive critical investments across the lifespan.

Inter-Generational Center Site Visit: Moving Forward

Yesterday's intergenerational site visit event, where Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee, Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Carmen Nazario and Maryland Senator Ben Cardin showed their support for intergenerational programs, was a fabulous step as we at GU work to spread this successful model across the country.

At the event, GU Executive Director Donna Butts called on the Assistant Secretaries to convene a policy summit to forge a public-private partnership in which federal agencies, foundation leaders, policy makers and service providers can work together to increase the number of facilities that connect generations instead of separating them. She also urged policy makers to use an intergenerational lens when considering new policies and reauthorizations such as the Elementary Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and the Older Americans Act (OAA).

Here at GU, we're hard at work on moving forward with these key ideas. Join our work and be part of the intergenerational movement!

Inter-Generational Center Site Visit A Success!

We are celebrating the success of a wonderful site visit today at the Easter Seals’ Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Inter-Generational Center in Silver Spring, Md. where Assistant Secretary for Aging Kathy Greenlee, Assistant Secretary for Children and Families Carmen Nazario and Maryland Senator Ben Cardin -- along with many other governmental, philanthropic and executive leaders -- came together to stress the importance of cost effective and high-quality intergenerational shared sites for vulnerable seniors and children.

In their first joint public appearance, Assistant Secretaries Greenlee and Nazario praised the success of the program and encouraged others around the country to adopt the intergenerational model.

“One of the beauties of this facility is that it was intentionally designed to recognize the importance of relationships at all ages,” Assistant Secretary Nazario said. “This is the type of program that we need to promote throughout the country.”

“Seniors want and need to be active members of their communities and their families and their faith organizations for as long as they live,” Assistant Secretary Greenlee said. “It’s just so wonderful to come to a place like this and say, ‘This is the best we can do, and we should promote this everywhere in the nation.’”

Maryland Senator Cardin echoed the Secretaries’ remarks, calling intergenerational centers a “win-win-win” solution.

“The Easter Seals’ Harry & Jeanette Weinberg Inter-Generational Center is what I would call a ‘win-win-win’ for everyone involved,” said Senator Cardin. “It provides children with the support and comfort that can come from older adults, it gives seniors a sense of purpose as they interact with youngsters and it means communities will be able to pool their resources to provide more comprehensive services to both children and seniors. Inter-generational centers are an innovative, creative approach to help children, seniors and communities as they struggle with scarce resources.”

Attendees heard from Pamela Perry, the mother of twin 4-year-olds, one developmentally disabled, the other typically developing, who found the Inter-Generational Center in early 2009 after looking for a facility that could serve the needs of both of her children. At the Inter-Generational center, Perry found a place where both of her children could learn and grow together while forming valuable relationships with older adults. “When [my daughter] joined Easter Seals she was withdrawn and shy,” Perry said. “She has become a confident, conversant, joyful girl.” Her children have grown socially and intellectually from their interaction with older adults at the center. “For them, their elder friends are warm, caring grandparent substitutes,” Perry said.

“What we’re doing here before is not ‘what’s nice,’ but indeed, very necessary,” said Lisa Reeves, President and CEO of the Easter Seals Greater Washington-Baltimore Region, citing billions of dollars lost every year by businesses whose employees are struggling with caregiving responsibilities. “What you’re seeing here today is an opportunity to lead, not be led; to be ahead of the curve, not to react.”

Also in attendance were Bryan Samuels, Commissioner of the Administration on Children, Youth and Families and Joan Lombardi, Deputy Assistant Secretary and Inter-Departmental Liaison for Early Childhood Development Administration for Children and Families.


Thanks to all who worked long and hard to make this event possible, especially Lisa Reeves, Easter Seals Greater Washington-Baltimore Region Board Chairman Ralph Boyd and the whole Easter Seals team.

Photos: (Top) Sen. Cardin and Amare Smith, 4; (Middle) Assistant Secretary Greenlee watches an intergenerational activity; (Bottom) Assistant Secretary Nazario watches an intergenerational activity with Generations United Executive Director Donna Butts

For more photos, visit our Flickr album for the site visit.

Restoring the Social Security student benefit: The best policy idea you haven’t heard of yet

“I do believe we are responsible for the widow and the orphan.”

— Richard Gilbert, Tea Party supporter (New York Times, April 16, 2010)

Whether you are a Francis Perkins admirer or Sarah Palin follower, Americans believe Social Security is a promise worth protecting for all generations. Supporting the children of a diseased and disabled parent is a core American value enshrined in the values of the Social Security program, and reinstating the student benefit for post-secondary education should be a top priority of any reforms to strengthen Social Security. Since 1939, Social Security has supported the children of deceased, disabled or retired workers — that support now helps keep over a million vulnerable children out of poverty. In 1965, Congress recognized the growing importance of a college education and extended Social Security benefits for children of a deceased or disabled parent enrolled in college until age 22. The benefits were successful in helping children enroll in college and complete an education without having to enter the workforce when they turned 18 to support themselves and their family. In 1983, when Social Security faced a real crisis (unlike the phony one portrayed today), Congress sacrificed the benefit in a compromise to save the long-term solvency of the program. Today’s circumstances are vastly different and merit the restoration of the benefit.

According to an excellent new policy brief by Alexander Hertel-Fernandez and the National Academy of Social Insurance, a number of factors make the student benefit even more important for children than it was in 1983. First, the imperative of a college education continues to grow in a knowledge economy: “college graduates earn, on average, 61 percent more over their lifetimes than do high school graduates.” While the value of a college education has risen, so has its cost (roughly double since 1979). At the same time, youth have even less access to financial aid than ever before. The value of a Pell Grant has barely increased in real dollars, leaving it inadequate to meet the needs of rising education costs. The results have been devastating for the children of deceased and disabled parents. A 2003 study found that more than a third of the children eligible for the pre-1983 benefit did not enroll in college because of the lost benefit.

The two principal reasons cited in 1983 for the benefit elimination — a Social Security shortfall and administration challenges — are much less relevant today. The Social Security actuary estimated it would cost .07 percent of taxable payroll to restore the benefit (measured over the traditional 75-year Social Security window). The actuary did not consider how much that cost would be offset from the higher earnings and increased payroll tax contribution of the additional college graduates (paging Stephen Goss). In 1983, the Social Security Administration had some difficulty verifying student enrollment and eligibility for the benefit. Today, electronic verification through the FAFSA application (a requirement for almost all schools) would make such concerns moot. Given the extensive benefits of the student benefit to society and vulnerable youth and its rather miniscule potential cost, restoring the student is a policy equivalent of a no-brainer.

PA Seniors4Kids with Governor Rendell

Seniors4Kids take their passion for kids to the top! Here's a recent photo of Yvonne Thompson-Friend, Pennsylvania Seniors4Kids State Coordinator (left), with Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell (center). Read more about the recent PA Seniors4Kids event, which successfully connected older adults with lawmakers, here. Congratulations, Yvonne, and thank you for your hard work!

Celebrate Children's Book Week with Intergenerational Books

Children’s Book Week is May 10-16. Generations United’s Seniors4Kids recommends 10 titles for young children that spotlight connections between young children and older adults.

Abuela by Arthur Dorros

An innovative fantasy narrated by a Hispanic-American child who imagines she's rising into the air over the park and flying away with her loving, rosy-cheeked abuela (grandmother). From the air, they see Manhattan streets, docks, an airport, tourist attractions, and Rosalba's father's office.

Bigmama’s by Donald Crews

Visiting Bigmama's house in the country, young Donald Crews finds his relatives full of news and the old place and its surroundings just the same as the year before.

The Hello, Goodbye Window by Norton Juster, illustrated by Chris Raschka

The young narrator visits her grandparents, Nanna and Poppy, in their big house. They explore Nanna's garden, and Poppy plays his harmonica. Looking out the picture window, the "hello, goodbye window," she spots her parents coming to pick her up. The curly-haired girl is happy to see them, but sad because it means the end of the visit.

Jingle Dancer, by Cynthia Leitich Smith, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright and Ying-Hwa Hu

Without enough tin jingles to make her dress sing, how can Jenna be a jingle dancer just like Grandma Wolfe at the next powwow? She borrows one row from Great-aunt Sis, whose aching legs keep her from dancing; another from Mrs. Scott, who sells fry bread; one from Cousin Elizabeth, whose work keeps her away from the festivities; and a fourth row from Grandma, who helps Jenna sew the jingles to her dress, assemble her regalia, and practice her bounce-steps.

Mrs. Katz and Tush by Patricia Polacco

It is the beginning of a long friendship between Mrs. Katz, widowed, childless, and lonely, and her young African-American neighbor, Larnel, when he presents her with a scraggly kitten. On his daily visit to the elderly woman and her pet, they talk about Mrs. Katz's husband, her arrival in the United States from Poland, and the similar experiences of Jews and African-Americans.

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

As a child, Great-aunt Alice Rumphius resolved that when she grew up she would go to faraway places, live by the sea in her old age, and do something to make the world more beautiful--and she does all those things, the last being the most difficult of all.

Our Granny by Margaret Wild, illustrated by Julie Vivas

Two children compare their granny with others. Some grannies have thin legs, fat knees, crinkly eyes, or big soft laps. Their granny has a wobbly bottom and wears an old red sweater that was grandpa's. She has a style all her own—and to the children who love her, this granny is perfect.

The Raft by Jim Lamarche

Reluctuant Nicky spends a wonderful summer with Grandma who introduces him to the joy of rafting down the river near her home and watching the animals along the banks

Song and Dance Man by Stephen Gammell

In this Caldecott winner, Grandpa relives his vaudeville days for an adoring audience--his grandchildren.

Walk With Grandpa: Un Paseo con el Abuelo by Sharon Solomon

Ella and her grandfather find a peaceful walk in the woods leads to so much more. They express just how much they mean to each other by a simple word game they play together. Bilingual full text in both English and Spanish.

Synopses courtesy Amazon and Barnes & Noble

Celebrating Mother's Day at the White House

On Friday, First Lady Michelle Obama held an early celebration of Mother's Day by hosting a tea in the White House's East Room. Guests included former first ladies and daughters of former presidents, mothers and spouses of military personnel, and a remarkable young woman who has exemplified the importance of intergenerational service; Carrie Ryan.

Carrie is the 2009 recipient of Generations United’s Outstanding Youth Volunteer Award; an award which honors an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to an intergenerational program or has advocated for older adults and youth. While in high school, Carrie founded Bridging the Generations, an organization that connects high schools and retirement communities through service-learning projects. She then enrolled in an independent study course called “Images of Aging in Literature” which led her to further pursue her passion for intergenerational programs by connection her high school with a senior facility, Monte Vista Grove Homes, and creating a computer lab. Now a student at Sewanee University, Carrie is the head of the Senior Citizen’s Outreach Club. She has expanded the club’s outreach to five local retirement communities and has recruited many of her fellow college students to participate in visits to these older adult homes. Carrie continues to champion the mission of her organization and encourage the important connection between generations and their community.

The message of intergenerational appreciation was echoed several times by First Lady Michelle Obama at Friday’s event. The First Lady highlighted the message of President Carter’s 1979 Mother’s Day proclamation, in which he wrote: “In this time when the family is subjected to many new pressures, the job of nurturing future generations is often both more difficult and more important than ever.” Mrs. Obama went on to note the important contributions her own mother, Marian Robinson, has made to her life and her daughter’s lives—most notably the opportunity to have three generations living in the White House. The First Lady concluded by encouraging everyone in the room to share their stories and celebrate the extraordinary women in their lives. In honor of the women who shape our future generations, Happy Mother’s Day from Generations United!

-- Melissa Ness

Last Day of ICIP Conference

Well, the fourth and final day of the 4th ICIP Conference has officially wrapped up. Well, technically the official end was the luncheon earlier in the day, but the Post Conference session is now over as well. GU's Donna Butts did a session on "Intergenerational Programmes by Schools (Community Involvement Programmes)" with yours truly assisting and leading some of the activities. It was a great session, getting into the nitty gritty of program development with schools.

The day started with a European Roundtable discussion in which we all got to hear about the great work being done in that part of the world and it was in conjuction with the 2nd European Day of Intergenerational Solidarity (go Europe!). The second roundtable discussion centered on Singapore and the work that is being done here (I can picture a Day of Intergenerational Solidarity here someday!)

A final keynote address from Professor Sarah Harper on the the future of intergenerational relations in the 21st century, the closing plenary and remarks finished off the morning. Mr. Lim Boon Heng, Minister, Prime Minister's Office spoke, which shows just how much the Singaporean government is investing in intergenerational programming, as well as Henry Quake, Dr. Leng Leng Thang and Donna Butts.

Overall it's been an amazing experience here in Singapore. It will be great to see how the work here grows in the coming years. And hey, if the work here should ever bring me back to this side of the world, I don't think I would say "no."

Officially signing off,
Roxana

From Donna Butts: Blogging From ICIP

Hello from Singapore and the International Consortium of Intergenerational Programmes (ICIP) conference!

All is going well here and our Singapore hosts are fabulous. We have several people here representing the U.S. including Prof. Matt Kaplan from Penn State; Prof. Shannon Jarrot from Virginia Tech; and Sister Edna Lonergan and Maggie Cary from the St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care in Wisconsin.

The conference has been full of helpful and informative sessions for and by intergenerational advocates from around the world. When Singapore's Manpower Minister, Gan Kim Yong (equivalent to the U.S. Secretary of Labor) spoke at the conference, he announced that Singapore will increase employment opportunities for older Singaporeans. His full remarks are available here.