OGDEN — Grandparents with Open Arms, a support group designed for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren, has been coming to fruition as a resource for the community since October 2021.

Melonie Trujillo has spearheaded the organization with help from other community groups, such as Connect2Success, along with her husband and extended family.

“I am making meetings for grandparents, like a support group where we can talk about the frustrations, just everything that goes along with raising grandkids,” Trujillo said.

According to Trujillo, many grandparents who are raising their grandchildren find themselves without any all-in-one organizations to turn to for navigating guardianship laws, finding resources for emotional support, providing clothing and the know-how to handle any potential financial challenges.

Patsy Medina, who was involved in the group’s creation and is raising three of her granddaughters, expressed the importance of letting the community know that there is support available.

“Where I’ve had to struggle, I want other people to know that they’re not alone,” Medina said.

Grandparents with Open Arms has worked to make the organization accessible by having different meeting times and locations. Meeting should be in full swing by mid-January.

Support groups will be meeting the first and the third Wednesday of each month from 10-11 a.m. at Connect2Success, located at 3535 Lincoln Ave., in Ogden.

Additional meetings will be held at Golden Hours Senior Center, at 650 25th St., on the second and fourth Friday of each month, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., in Ogden.

Masks will be provided at the sessions, but attendees are not required to wear masks during the meetings.

Trujillo has raised her four grandchildren since her son, Paul Phillip Trujillo, passed away in a car accident.

The loss of her son, and taking in her grandchildren, motivated Melonie to get the local organization up and running.

“Some of us have gotten our grandkids because of our children’s drug use, and there’s a lot of guilt that goes along with that,” she said. “I want grandparents to know that it’s not the choices that they made, it’s the choices that their children made.”

Many grandparents have stepped up and become the legal guardians of their grandchildren — whether the cause is due to death, domestic violence, drugs or other circumstances. Both Trujillo and Medina believe there is a need in the community for an organization like Grandparents with Open Arms, to help a group that can be overlooked.

Grandparents with Open Arms is pending its non-profit status as an organization, has received grants and created community partnerships, which have all helped to get the organization going.

More information on Grandparents with Open Arms, can be found on their website GrandparentsWithOpenArms.com.

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