We were lucky to catch up with Darla Grand recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Darla, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
My resilience comes from the family that helped raise me — a strong, loving network that included my grandparents Allen and Rosella, and my grandmother Mabel, affectionately known as Mother Mae. My mother, along with my uncles and aunts, played a powerful and steady role in shaping the woman I became. It was truly a family effort—a kinship circle long before I ever knew the word “kinship.” After the 6th grade, I lived with my grandparents Allen and Rosella. My mother’s love and presence were still foundational. Every lesson, every sacrifice, and every guiding word from my mother and grandparents added another layer to the strength I carry today
I watched my grandparents face challenges with unwavering faith and quiet strength. They didn’t complain — they leaned on their faith, they persevered, and they loved their families through every hardship. From them, I learned that true resilience isn’t loud; it’s steady, determined, and full of grace.
Those lessons have guided me through every chapter of my life — especially now, at 76, as I raise my 13-year-old grandson and lead Grand60 Miracle with purpose and clarity. The strength my grandparents showed is the same strength I see in grandparents and kinship caregivers across the nation — ordinary people working miracles every day that keep families together.
There is a grand shift happening right now — more and more grandparents are raising their grandchildren, and kinship families are stepping in, often without any help or recognition. That reality takes incredible resilience, and it needs to be addressed. That’s why I’m committed to using my platform to amplify their voices and connect families to real support and resources.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
Grand60 Miracle was born from my real-life experience as a grandmother raising my grandson. I didn’t plan it, but from the day he was born, I knew I had to be in his life. When his mother passed suddenly from natural causes in December 2017, there was no question who would fight for him and raise him. Over time, I realized how many other grandparents and relatives were living the same story—facing health issues, fixed incomes, and their own aging years while raising children. I often ask people: How many of you know a family going through this right now, struggling quietly to find the help they need? Our stories often include legal and deep-pocket financial challenges that most people never see.
I wanted to build something that would make life easier for this growing portion of our American population—the grandparents, relatives, and kin who step in when children need stability and love. These families hold things together in ways most people never see and deserve far more recognition, support, and understanding. Can you imagine raising an infant or toddler after the age of 60—or opening your home to multiple siblings all at once? It’s not uncommon for grandparents to raise several siblings together.
Grand60 Miracle is different from traditional one-stop resource sites because it was created by a grandmother raising a grandchild—someone who truly understands the challenges, the overwhelm, and the strength it takes to hold a family together. Instead of simply listing programs and links, Grand60 Miracle is being built to bring together practical resources, trusted vendors, real stories, and clear guidance for grandparents and kinship caregivers—all in one easy-to-navigate place. This isn’t just another resource site; it’s a community shaped by lived experience. My goal is to make it easier for families to find real help, share their stories, and access multiple resources without frustration. Too often, grandparents spend hours clicking through websites or making phone calls, only to hit dead ends or give up entirely. Grand60 Miracle is designed to change that.
There’s a grand shift happening across this country—this isn’t just something happening in the background; it’s a real change in how families are being held together. My goal is to bring attention to this shift and ensure these families receive the recognition and support they deserve — it’s about lifting up the presence and everyday commitment of grandparents and kinship caregivers.
With permission from Sheri Y. Steinig, MSW (Master of Social Work), Director, Strategic Initiatives & Communications at Generations United, I am sharing the following statistics in their report:
“Grandfamilies save the government $10.5 billion annually by keeping children safely with family and out of foster care.”
“Children in kinship care benefit most when families receive targeted support—financial assistance, mental health services, legal guidance, and other tailored resources—which helps children thrive and reduces the likelihood they will enter foster care. The report findings highlight the financial impact and cost savings created by grandfamilies who keep children out of the foster care system.”
“About 2.5 million children across the United States are being raised in grandfamilies—families in which grandparents, other adult relatives, or close family friends care for children without their parents in the home.”
“Our Report The Costs of Caregiving: Why Supporting Grandfamilies & Kinship Care is Good for Children and Our Nation’s Economy highlights the critical role these caregivers play in supporting children, families, and our nation’s child welfare system… The report finds that:”
“Despite this essential contribution, caregivers often step in with little warning, limited resources, and minimal support, sacrificing retirement savings, financial stability, and sometimes their own health.”
Read the full Generations United report with national statistics here:
https://www.gureport.org/2025-report
Generations United’s findings make one thing clear: grandfamilies are not the exception — we are a growing part of the child-care system, carrying a tremendous load and saving this nation more than $10.5 billion every year by keeping children out of foster care. Yet many of us are making this possible while living on fixed incomes, stretching every dollar to give our grandchildren stability, love, and safety. Too many caregivers are doing this without adequate resources or recognition. This is why Grand60 Miracle exists: to raise awareness, connect families to real help, and push for the support we have deserved for years.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
The three qualities that have carried me through life are inner strength, determination, and adaptability.
Inner strength comes from surviving what you never thought you could. I’ve faced loss, heartbreak, and responsibilities I never expected to carry — but I did. Strength doesn’t mean you never feel fear or exhaustion. It means you keep going anyway, because someone is depending on you. When it came time to step up for my grandson, I knew in my heart that I was meant to raise him. You keep going because love and responsibility won’t let you quit. And I know there are many out there who can relate to that — grandparents, relatives, and others who’ve had to make that same choice out of pure love and sense of responsibility.
Determination has been my driving force. In my career, I’ve owned and operated a retail computer store for over 10 years, back when there were not many women doing that kind of work. It wasn’t easy — long hours, constant learning, and plenty of setbacks — but I loved it. Later in my career, I worked in sales and marketing for a web and audio company and was consistently ranked in the top 10 out of 150 sales people. That experience taught me that success isn’t handed to you; it’s built through consistency, integrity, and showing up even when you don’t feel like it. That same determination drives me now as I build Grand60 Miracle. Some days I have to teach myself new things, and some days I have to start over — but that’s what it means when you’re working on a purpose.
Adaptability — that’s what keeps me moving forward. Life doesn’t always go according to plan, but that doesn’t mean we stop growing. I’ve had to learn new systems, new platforms, and new ways of connecting with people online. It hasn’t always been easy, but it’s been rewarding. Every time I learn something new, I remind myself that our generation has a lifetime of experience — we just need to pair it with today’s tools. To other seniors (60+), I say: don’t be afraid to keep learning. The world is changing fast, but we still have so much to offer. Growth doesn’t end with age — it expands with it.
One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?
Grand60 Miracle is being developed as a national platform that stands with the grandparents and kinship caregivers who take on a responsibility many never expected — and in some cases keeping children out of foster care. We welcome partnerships with community leaders, organizations, and companies who share our passion for supporting families. Whether through resources, collaboration, or outreach, your involvement can help us have an impact on the grandfamily community.
We also welcome select volunteers with creativity and heart:
• writers
• connectors
• digital storytellers
• social media champions
*digital content support
We are now seeking individuals, originations, or companies who want to use their skills and influence to make a difference. Each connection matters to us, so we are developing a thoughtful process to ensure our partnerships reflect the mission and purpose of Grand60 Miracle.
Email: [email protected] to learn how you can get involved.
Grand60 Miracle is growing with purpose. Grandparents, caregivers, or anyone who supports grandfamilies — let your voice be heard loud and clear by visiting: www.Grand60Miracle.com/directory
Disclaimer: Grand60 Miracle LLC is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or in partnership with Generations United. Any statistics or quotes referenced from Generations United are used solely for informational purposes, and all rights to those materials remain with Generations United.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.grand60miracle.com/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grand60miracle
