Grandmothers Of The Light

 Welcome to our website and thank you for taking the time to learn more about the children and grandchildren of prisoners and those who live in other adverse conditions such as poverty, illness, or abuse.  There are 9,620,511 children living in the state of California.  Nearly 20% of them, or 1 in 5 lives below the poverty guidelines set forth by the government.  Many of those have a parent who is in the California Department of Corrections.  (for in depth reports and statistics visit our e-tour pages)  The plight of these children now and in the future affects everyone one of us.  The numbers are too big to be ignored and the social implications too profound to walk away from. 

Won't you join with us as we take steps to care for and nurture this important generation?

Our Story: 

Grandmother's Of The Light was really born in concept when I became a grandmother for the first time in 1992.  No one prepared me for the avalanche of love I was going to feel when I held my grandson Austin.  Being a Mom was wonderful of course, but I was a teenage Mom, poor, alone and overwhelmed by responsibility.  When Austin came along more than two decades later I had managed to raise three lovely daughters and at 44 years old still had a lot of energy and a lot more to give. 

By the time my granddaughter Hannah came along a couple of years later I was well aware of how deep and sacred a grandmother's love is.  I had loved my grandmothers too, and my own Mom was an amazing and beautiful example of how grandmothers are supposed to be.  When she went to the Lord in 2004 at age 82, she had 15 biological grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, and dozens of kids she had cared for over a 40 year career as a daycare provider.  "Grandma Carol" was one in a million and we all knew it.  She was that one who would kiss a baby's dirty little toes while changing a diaper, and kept smiling when the rest of us were running out the door. 

Over the years I have been blessed to know so many wonderful women, mothers, grandmothers, care givers, nurturers, some who had many kids of their own and some who had no kids of their own, but as we all know, anyone can give birth, not everyone can be a mother.  When I was a kid I can remember thinking I wanted to be like my maternal grandmother, Lela Brown (born in 1889 in Missouri) who always smelled of powder and roses, made her own pasta, sewed lovely dresses, kept a spotless house, curled our hair and cooked us yummy breakfasts, all from a wheelchair.  Without complaint, she would sit at her piano and play Old Rugged Cross while you napped and you knew the world was a very safe place to be with her in it. 

So now you know where the "Grandmother" in our name came from, now let me tell you about the light.I was so very blessed to be introduced to the Lord as a young woman by Dale Evans Rogers, whose daughter Marion married into our family in 1959.  She would tell me wonderful stories of His love and I would listen hungrily, wanting to know more.  In the 70's I became a missionary with the Assemblies Of God in inner city Los Angeles and for the next decade plus would work in the trenches (as they say). 

I saw more miracles than I can tell you about here.  I also saw (and lived) more sorrow than I can tell you about here.  But you get the idea.  Whatever the heartaches were in my life or others, there was a light that always pierced the darkness.  In the darkest valley that light was always there, faithful and steady.  The Lord Jesus Christ is a light that cannot be extinguished, now or ever. 

 In this organization, we are not all grandmothers and we are not all Christians.  Our arms are open to one and all, and we will welcome you with love.  So I tell you my story so you will know that this eclectic band of good people we are now becoming arose out of a grandmother of light's sacred love for the children, the poor, the imprisoned, the least of "His little ones", and for Him. 

In light and in love, 

Charli Eaton,

Founder

Grandmother's Of The Light, Inc.

California Children's Coalition

California Prisoner's Coalition

Our Approach: 

Our way of doing things is pretty simple and direct.  We believe that love, tolerance, patience and persistence accomplish alot.  We also believe that if we focus on family reunification and preservation we are helping you lay a foundation for success and happiness.  We know families come in lots of different packages, so we are not here to tell you how to package yours but to help you preserve and protect the family you already have. 

We do believe in miracles.  We do believe in spiritual nurturing.  We are here to help you solve problems, stay connected to incarcerated family and friends, offer assistance in any way we can, share our love, advice, and resources with you, and offer referrals to other agencies when needed.  We are not here to judge you, lecture you or admonish you.  If we do not have what you need, we will do everything we can to help you find out who does.