September 24, 2025 - Hershey, PA

ADVISORY - Department of Aging to Announce Expansion of a Free Legal Advice Helpline to Support Grandparents Raising Grandchildren in Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania Department of Aging Secretary Jason Kavulich will announce the expansion of a free legal service and referral helpline to support grandparents raising grandchildren across the Commonwealth.

Secretary Kavulich will speak alongside Pennsylvania Supreme Court Chief Justice Debra Todd and legal experts from SeniorLAW Center to announce the helpline's expansion.

Grandparents who are raising their grandchildren often need to access resources quickly. This statewide helpline will link these caregivers to free legal advice, information and referrals. There are approximately 83,000 grandparents who are among other kinship caregivers - such as aunts or uncles, adult siblings, or a close family friend - who are caring for nearly 260,000 children in Pennsylvania.

The expansion of this free legal advice helpline is yet another tool for grandparents raising grandchildren that the Shapiro Administration supports through the Department of Aging's Caregiver Support Program and PA CareKit, and Pennsylvania's KinConnector.

WHO:
Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich
Chief Justice Debra Todd, Pennsylvania Supreme Court
Karen Buck, Esq., Executive Director, SeniorLAW Center
Katie Jones, Esq., Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Attorney, SeniorLAW Center
Deborah Meyers, Grandmother raising grandchildren

WHEN:
Wednesday, September 24, 2025, 12:00 PM

WHERE:
Hotel Hershey
Front Veranda (outside of the Fountain Lobby)
100 Hotel Road
Hershey, PA 17033

MEDIA RSVP:
Media interested in attending must RSVP with the name of photographer/reporter to agingcomms@pa.gov.

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