Department of Health and Human Services
Administration on Aging

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Press Room

Grandparents Day 2006: Sept. 10

Grandparents Day was the brainchild of Marian McQuade of Fayette County, W.Va., who hoped that such an observance might persuade grandchildren to tap the wisdom and heritage of their grandparents. The first presidential proclamation was issued in 1978, and one has been issued each year since — designating the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day.
In honor of our nation’s grandparents, the Census Bureau presents an array of data about these unsung role models and caregivers.

How Many Grandparents?
About 56 million
Number of grandparents in the United States.
(Source: Unpublished data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation)

5.7 million
The number of grandparents whose grandchildren under 18 live with them.
(Source: American FactFinder)

Grandparents as Caregivers
2.4 million
The number of grandparents responsible for most of the basic needs (i.e., food, shelter, clothing) of one or more of the grandchildren who live with them. These grandparents represent about 42 percent of all grandparents whose grandchildren live with them. Of these caregivers, 1.5 million are grandmothers and 880,000 are grandfathers. (Source: American FactFinder)

1.7 million
The number of grandparent-caregivers who are married. (Source: American FactFinder)

1.4 million
The number of grandparents who are in the labor force and also responsible for most of the basic needs of their grandchildren. (Source: American FactFinder)

920,000
Number of grandparents responsible for caring for their grandchildren for at least the last five years. (Source: American FactFinder)

460,000
Number of grandparents whose income is below the poverty level and caring for their grandchildren. (Source: American FactFinder)

700,000
Number of grandparents with a disability — yet caring for their grandchildren.
(Source: American FactFinder)

320,000
Number of foreign-born grandparents responsible for caring for their grandchildren.
(Source: American FactFinder)

270,000
Number of grandparents who speak English less than “very well” and are responsible for caring for their grandchildren. (Source: American FactFinder)

28%
Among preschoolers with employed mothers, the percentage regularly cared for by their grandparent during the hours their mom spends employed outside the home. No other type of child care arrangement was more prevalent than by grandparents.
http://www.census.gov/population/www/socdemo/childcare.html

Grandchildren
6.1 million
The number of children living with a grandparent; these children comprise 8 percent of all children in the United States. Of these children, 4.1 million lived in a grandparent’s home and 1.9 million in a parent’s home.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/006840.html

2.2 million
The number of children who resided with both a grandmother and a grandfather.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/families_households/006840.html

Recent research by the AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) reveals that more than 80 percent of the nation’s grandparents had visited or spoken with their grandchildren by phone in the past month. (Source: Hallmark research)

Remembering Grandma and Grandpa
About 3 million
Number of Grandparents Day cards given, nationwide, each year. (Source:Hallmark research)