Kimball Medical Center Foundation Receives Grant from OceanFirst Foundation for Grandparents Support Group

The Kimball Medical Center Foundation recently received a $15,000 grant from OceanFirst Foundation of Toms River. The grant will be used to support the “Grandparents Support Group” which provides free ongoing support for grandparents raising grandchildren and is offered at the Center for Healthy Living at Kimball Medical Center.

According to the U.S. Census, more than 2 million children are being raised by grandparents and other relatives. “We truly appreciate the generosity of OceanFirst Foundation for enabling us to continue to offer this critical program,” said Denice Gaffney, Vice President, Kimball Medical Center Foundation. “With the number of grandparents becoming the primary caregivers for their grandchildren continually on the rise, supporting these caregivers is more important than ever.”  

The free, ongoing support group, led by Kathleen Holahan, MSW, LCSW, is open to grandparents in the Ocean and Monmouth County area. The group addresses the unique challenges faced by “grandfamilies” – including legal and financial issues and intergenerational relationships. Once-monthly dinners provide an opportunity for grandparents and the children under their care to receive further support and educational programming.

Weekly meetings are held on Wednesdays from 10:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. at The Center for Healthy Living at 198 Prospect St. in Lakewood. Registration is not required. For more information, call Kathleen Holahan, MSW, LCSW, at 732-730-9112.

For more information on programs at The Center for Healthy Living at Kimball Medical Center, visit www.barnabashealth.org/Kimball  or visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/kimballmedicalcenter.

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About Kimball Medical Center
Kimball Medical Center, a Barnabas Health facility, is a 350-bed, fully accredited acute care hospital dedicated to providing high quality medical and healthcare services to the residents of Ocean County and southern Monmouth County.

In addition to offering a full range of innovative diagnostic and treatment services, Kimball Medical Center also offers an array of wellness programs. Its ever-growing series of health education programs, lectures, screenings and support groups aims to promote wellness among all age groups.

For more information about Kimball Medical Center, visit www.barnabashealth.org.

About OceanFirst Foundation:

OceanFirst Bank’s strong commitment to helping families, organizations, schools and communities throughout central New Jersey meet their financial needs has spanned several generations, reaching new heights in 1996 with the creation of OceanFirst Foundation. The Foundation provides grants to organizations that meet community needs within the OceanFirst market area. In 2011, OceanFirst Foundation contributed approximately $1 million to community initiatives and since its inception has contributed more than $22 million to over 600 local charities in Ocean, Monmouth and Middlesex counties.