By DENISE MAYCOCK

Tribune Freeport Reporter

dmaycock@tribunemedia.net

THE Bahamas Grandparents’ Support Foundation, a newly formed non-profit organisation, is helping grandparents who are caring for their grandchildren in their golden years.

 Founder Claire Fox, a 71-year-old doting grandmother of five, said the idea for such an organisation was a vision she received from God three years ago.

 “Our mission is to assist grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. We provide support through distribution of food, clothing, and in other areas. We also have retired teachers on board to assist with education,” she said.

 Ms Fox said the organisation held successful food drives at Sawyer’s and Stop ’N Shop and collected various food items from the public.

 “The food drives have been excellent; people just gave willingly, and we thank them for their support so that we can bless others,” she said.

 On Monday, the organisation held a major distribution of food, clothing, and other items at the Grand Bahama Resilience Centre in the Seahorse Shopping Plaza.

 According to Ms Fox, the organisation has been getting support from the Grand Bahama community since obtaining its license four months ago.

 “We sent letters out and support is coming in,” she said. “We received gift certificates for shoes, and a donation of 40 pairs of girls’ sandals and clothing,” she stated.

 The retired civil servant, who worked at the Consumer Affairs Department for 25 years, said that her passion is to help others. At age 71, she said she loves being a grandmother.

 “Grandparents play an important role in the family by instilling morals and values and passing on the family’s culture,” Ms Fox said.

 In the Bahamas, she said many grandparents are now taking care of their grandchildren in their golden years.

“You must be emotionally, physically, and spiritually prepared to raise children. It is a very heavy responsibility, and a lot of these grandparents are on a fixed income,” she explained.

 The organisation will hold its monthly meeting in East End, Freeport, and Eight Mile Rock to educate grandparents on various relevant topics by inviting speakers to talk to them. Ms Fox said they have a spiritual advisor who also is ready to assist.

 Ms Fox said September 11 is known as International Grandparents’ Day. “The Bahamas does not recognise it as yet, and I would love to see Grandparents Day become big as Mother’s and Father’s Day,” she said.