The couple had already been caring for their daughter’s child since her birth, but the grandfather had since become disabled and their income had plummeted. All three were forced to survive on his disability payments. And they likely would have continued to struggle on that shoestring if not for Kelly’s efforts. By adopting the girl, the grandfather could qualify for slightly larger disability payments to help offset the cost of caring for the child. 

“It was not a lot of money, but his payment increased by about 25 percent,” said Kelly, “Which meant a lot to them, and to the child.” While the grandparents technically could have accomplished the adoption on their own, without a lawyer few people are able to navigate the maze of adoption laws by themselves.