TUNKHANNOCK, Pa. — Nancy Aiello from Tunkhannock had to become a mother again long after her own children were grown.
She had to raise her grandchildren - identical twin boys.
"You don't know where to go. You don't know where to get help. If you're not in the system, as they say, you don't qualify for a lot of different things. So you're out working, as a senior citizen when you shouldn't have to work, to support the grandchildren, buying groceries, and clothes, and all these things."
Her friend Linda Coolbaugh noticed there were a lot of people like Nancy in their community.
We interviewed Linda back in 2019 about her efforts to help - collecting clothes and toys to give out to so-called substitute caregivers: grandparents raising their grandchildren, or aunts and uncles raising their nieces and nephews.
"And they didn't have a crib, or they didn't have food, or sufficient clothes. I would just reach out on social media, and I was getting a lot of response."
Back then, she was doing a lot of the work by herself.
Today, she's getting some help from the county - including the District Attorney.
"As you investigate crime, and prosecute crime, and when you have children as victims or offenders, you turn to deal with their parents, and you find out their parents aren't there. And their parents really are their grandparents," said DA Joe Peters.
"It was this phenomenon that was kind of mystifying in the sense that you have grandparents who truly are angels or heroes, who either by circumstance are forced to raise their grandchildren because their children are either in jail or struggling with addiction or mental health. So these angels step up, but they're stepping up to a world that they know. It's different than the world existed when they were parents."
Also lending their support - are nonprofit organizations - such as HANDS of Wyoming County.
"Our mission is to focus on strengthening and supporting that family unit, by providing a variety of resources and support programs. We started as a family resource center, to serve as that single point of contact for families," said Kathy Franco.
"So it was a natural step for us to reach out and help and support those families. We know where to send them; for instance, if it's after hours or on the weekends, and you need assistance, we really encourage them to utilize the state's 211 system," said Brenda Mills.
Nancy's grandchildren are now almost ready to graduate high school.
She's teaming up with Linda to form a support group for other substitute caregivers.
"I want to be able to help people who are just starting out, the ones who have them brought to them in the middle of the night."
The group meets on the third Tuesday of every month from 6-7 p.m. at the Children's Service Center in Tunkhannock. Anyone is welcome, including children.