Would you like to be a child’s “Chosen Grandma”?

Peg Herbert

Chosen Grandma Ottawa was co-founded by Dr. Peg Herbert and Mary Ann Turnbull as a non-profit, volunteer initiative to build intergenerational connections between senior women who have no grandchildren in their daily lives and families in the Vanier area who have no external support.

As grandmothers themselves, Peg and Mary Ann are well aware of the joy and meaning derived through relationships with children. As women who have devoted themselves to the well-being of children throughout their professional lives, they are also aware of how much families are struggling these days with no external familial support. Having both founded a highly successful venture, they have the experience to establish the initiative with the safeguards, policies and procedures to ensure children are well cared for and protected. Peg is the founder of Help Lesotho, an international non-profit building resilience in children and those who care for them, reaching 23,000 people a year. Mary Ann is the founder of Turnbull School, one of Ottawa’s most well-known and respected private elementary schools.

The Chosen Grandmas program is accepting applications from senior women who are healthy and active, from the age of 55+, who do not have grandchildren in their lives, or not nearby, who are seeking connection and meaningful engagement and can commit for at least one year—and hopefully longer! The goal is that the child and Chosen Grandma will connect at least twice a month and that at least one of those connections be in person. There are provisions to keep the connections when “grandma” is away on holidays. Chosen Grandma applicants will be well-screened and supported.

Once their applications are vetted and accepted, the senior will be matched with a family who has children between the ages of 5 and 14 years, are open to building a meaningful relationship with a Chosen Grandma, and who do not have nearby extra-family or grandparent support.

The organizing group, called the “Connection Team,” provides phone support, resources, a private Facebook group and monthly meetings of the Chosen Grandmas to talk about their activities with the children and make new, interesting friends.

A Chosen Grandma might like to take the child to visit museums, play cards, go to a movie or a local restaurant, visit the library, read together, teach knitting or sewing, visit parks or do crafts. The options are endless. The gift of undivided fun time to give to a child is an amazing opportunity to make a difference and bring special joy into both the senior woman’s and the child’s life.

Dr. Herbert is fond of saying that the “delight in volunteering and making a difference in someone else’s life is the best medicine ever.”

We hope that senior women in Sandy Hill will apply to CGO to become a “Chosen Grandma” and build stronger communities through warmth, care, and connection. Children can be such fun!

Please share with women you think might be interested. For more information or an application form, contact chosengrandmaottawa@gmail.com, or visit chosengrandma.ca or on Facebook: Chosen Grandma Ottawa.