Grandparents as Parents

Vice-President

Brandon, having been a foster parent for nearly 11 years, knows how important it is to support families and their children. He’s helped provide resources and support for foster, adoptive, & kinship families for the past 7 years with the Madison County Foster & Adoptive Parent Association, where is is currently President of the Board. Brandon was recently awarded the Most Impactful award for 2024 with Kids to Love. He is employed with Bear Cognition, an operational intelligence firm, as a Director of Marketing.

Brandon and his wife, Trina, reside in Madison, AL with four of their five children, two dogs, and that one measly cat.

Secretary

Edie, Keith’s wife, is constantly working to support Grandfamilies. She and Keith founded GAP to provide the essential resources & support that was lacking when they began their journey years ago. She has also served as the current Vice President of the Madison County Foster & Adoptive Parent Association for the past 4 years. Edie is also the mastermind behind our Christmas for Kin program and ensures that those children being raised by a relative have a great Christmas morning experience.

Treasurer

Trina, Brandon’s wife, has been a mother to not only their four children but nearly 35 other children as a foster parent. She has the unofficial, but official, title of “Chaos Coordinator” with the Madison County Foster & Adoptive Parent Association. She is an expert in planning, organization, and logistics, especially with 4 out of her 5 kids in activities. Trina was recognized as a finalist for the Unsung Hero award from the Trideum Foundation in 2024, given to those that go above-and-beyond for their community. Trina is currently employed as a Banker with Truist Bank.

Donna and her husband, Jeff, are raising four of their six grandsons. They were granted custody of three of the boys in February 2020 following a brief period in DHR custody, though the children remained in their home throughout that time. In late summer 2023, they took in the youngest grandson under a safety plan and have since been awarded kinship guardianship of him as well. These arrangements became necessary due to unsafe and unhealthy circumstances stemming from their daughter and son-in-law’s drug use.

Their firsthand experience raising multiple grandchildren, navigating the kinship guardianship process, supporting a daughter struggling with addiction during the opioid crisis, and managing the ongoing challenges of securing appropriate vision, medical, mental health, and dental care for their grandsons offers valuable insight that can benefit others facing similar situations.

Kristy has been married to her husband, Greg, for 18 years and is the proud mom of three adopted boys: Lawson, Grayson, & Jackson. Their home also includes two turtles, Sam and Turk, who have somehow managed to earn full family status. The Bryant’s love traveling together, cheering on baseball and football, and finding new ways to serve as a family.

Kristy has served on the board of GAP for the past year and has been an active member of MCFAPA for several years. She and Greg have been foster parents for 15 years and have had the privilege of welcoming 29 children into their home during that time. Her commitment to service is also reflected in her nonprofit background, which includes work with the American Red Cross and the Alzheimer’s Association.

Professionally, Kristy is the Executive Director of The Legacy Center. She holds a BS degree from Athens State University and is licensed as an ALF/SCALF Administrator.