At an age when most settle into the role of grandparent, Ada Ballew of the College Hill area became a mom again. Ballew, 76, took custody of great-granddaughter Heaven, 10, almost nine years ago. 

“They were getting ready to put her in foster care because her parents and grandparents couldn’t care for her,” Ballew said. “I just hated to see that happen.” 

Heaven joined an estimated 4.5 million children in the United States who live in grandparent-headed households. About 150,000 children reside with grandparents in Ohio. 

“These young girls have these kids and they do not know how to take care of them and do not want them,” Ballew said. She noted that she has no contact with Heaven’s birth parents. 

Ballew had raised two children of her own. A son died in 1983 and a daughter, 60, lives in a nursing home after suffering a stroke. 

“Some things, I’d forgotten,” Ballew said. “I needed to go back to school myself.” 

Ballew found support groups, workshops and individual assistance offered through the Children’s Home of Cincinnati extremely helpful. Children’s Home provides the services under a contract with the Hamilton County Department of Job and Family Services.

“I just pray hard and thank God for Children’s Home,” Ballew said.  

Children’s Home pays for a cab ride for Ballew and Heaven to attend biweekly support group meetings. Ballew meets with other grandparents and relatives who raise grandchildren or other family members, while Heaven gets together with their children in a separate room. 

“You find out how to handle things,” Ballew said. “And you get some things out with people who understand. I think all of the things I learned while raising children, I’d forgotten. I had to start all over again.”  

Participants lend a listening ear and share helpful information with each other. For example, Ballew told another grandparent that she could receive $245 a month in Ohio Works First (OWF) cash assistance from Hamilton County JFS. 

“It’s not much, but it does help out,” she said. 

Children’s Home helped Heaven get into the GLAD program, an after-school and summer offering for children of parents with addictions. Children’s Home also helped get clothing for Heaven. 

When Ballew’s husband and grandson died within two years, Children’s Home made arrangements for her and Heaven to attend Fernside, which supports grieving families. 

“She took it hard,” Ballew said. “She and my husband and grandson were very close.”

“Ada is 76 years old and manages to provide care very well for Heaven, despite losing her husband recently,” said David Lenning of Children’s Home. “She puts Heaven’s well-being before anything else. Heaven is all she has.”

For more information on services for grandparents-raising-grandchildren, please click here