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Raising kids today doesn’t match the historical “it takes a village” experience many grew up with. Not because people don’t care, but because life doesn’t seem to line up that way anymore. Families are spread out across the country and sometimes the world. Few grandparents live just up the street. There’s no built-in help for childcare and no extra sets of hands when things get overwhelming.

In response to that missing piece in raising kids, some people have looked for other ways to create something similar. One path is Surrogate Grandparents – USA, a Facebook-based community that connects older adults with families.

Missing out on grandparents nearby, some find new ones online

Founded in 2015, Surrogate Grandparents – USA offers a platform that works like a community bulletin board. The goal is to bring together families bereft of nearby grandparents with older adults looking to share that kind of family role.

Over 14,000 members hope to make a surrogate family connection and the possibility of building real love. They describe the opportunity on their Facebook page as follows:

“A surrogate grandparent is a volunteer or mentor who forms a supportive, grandparent-like relationship with a child or family who may not have local grandparents. These relationships can begin online or in person, often through platforms designed to connect families and older adults.”

The typical online pattern might look like a family posting on the page that their children don’t have nearby grandparents and would love a consistent older presence in their lives. Someone responds. They all start talking. Then, they meet in person.

Those introductions can turn into something steady with regular check-ins. Children receive the face-to-face guidance and experience that an older generation can offer. The surrogate grandparents gain a sense of purpose they hadn’t anticipated at this stage of their lives.

Surrogate grandparent success stories

One success story was shared in Newsweek. In 2019, Deborah Whatley, then aged 64, joined the Facebook group with her husband. Hoping to fill a need within their own lives, they connected with the Nelsons, and a beautiful relationship quickly blossomed.

The families share photos, meet in person about every month, and text regularly. “We’ve met up more times than I can count,” explained Whatley. “I just wanted to feel included. I have the time, the energy, and the desire. Discovering the surrogate grandparents group instantly brought light back into a part of my life that had turned dark,” she added.

CBS News reported that Anteres Anderson Turner and Louis Turner wished to extend their own family while raising twin boys. Janet Firestein Daw welcomed the idea of grandchildren in her life, saying, “I was getting older and I wanted to get down on the floor and play Legos and trains and read books.”

After meeting through the Facebook group, the relationship between the two families really worked. Daw continued, “It’s indescribable for me, because I haven’t had that experience before to be that grandparent, and I love it.”

Facebook closes the page

Earlier this year, the Facebook group became inaccessible. There haven’t been any publicly reported reasons from Facebook itself. However, an administrator for the page shared, “Surrogate Grandparents-USA group was unfortunately erroneously removed by Meta. We are actively working to have it reinstated.”

Thankfully, the page was reopened in time. In an Instagram post dated April 11, 2026, they said, “This morning, my Surrogate Grandparents-USA group was officially reinstated.” The post continues, “What a journey this has been—stressful, emotional, and at times incredibly disheartening. But I never stopped believing in the purpose of this community…and the power of speaking up when something isn’t right.”

A shift in how family works

The structures that used to hold families together aren’t as automatic as they once were. For a long time, grandparents lived nearby. Neighbors remained for decades. Communities were tighter, and lives were more interwoven. Support existed from a simple proximity.

But families move. Relationships change. Career and circumstance have stretched people farther apart. Places like Surrogate Grandparents – USA fill roles that certain families are missing. It may not work for everyone, but for many, it’s a chance to build community in a whole new way.