"Grandma and Grandpa Got There First."

If you're raising a grandchild, you're not alone. Your grandchild is one of about 50,000 children in Minnesota living with grandparents, according to the U.S. 2000 Census.

Grandparents want to keep their grandchildren safe and their families together. They're real-life safety nets when children's birth parents can't or won't parent.

Grandparents are confronted with many issues: legal, financial, and the need for social and emotional support.

Thanks to these grandparents, children are kept out of unhealthy environments or foster care.