Mary Ann Sterling saw what was broken and knew the she could really make a difference, in 1995 Mary Ann started Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County Florida Inc., a nonprofit relative care agency in Rockledge, Florida, that focuses on advocacy for grandparents and other relative caregivers and their families, providing quality, comprehensive support. Mary Ann’s innovation provides training, counseling, and advocacy to the relative caregivers - in return for full-time parenting of neglected and abused children.

Mary Ann Sterling saw what was broken and knew the she could really make a difference, in 1995 Mary Ann started Grandparents Raising Grandchildren of Brevard County, Florida Inc., a nonprofit relative care agency in Rockledge, Florida, that focuses on advocacy for grandparents and other relative caregivers and their families, providing quality, comprehensive support. Mary Ann’s innovation provides training, counseling, and advocacy to the relative caregivers - in return for full-time parenting of neglected and abused children.

Mary Ann remembers well the day her daughter was killed by a hit-and-run driver and she took her six year old grandson to raise, her life was never the same. The upheaval and evident lack of information available for relative caregivers sparked a lifelong commitment to care for abused and neglected children. In a nearly 15-year career protecting abused and neglected children, Mary Ann has led a countywide relative care program, seeing time and again the trauma of children being taken from their homes, often compounded by the distressing lack of support from our legal system and government agencies. This story is repeated daily in Brevard County, grandparents, aunts and uncles receive a call or knock at the door, a child “your” grandchild needs help now; due to drug problems, incarceration, military assignments, or death of the parent. Most relative caregivers are not prepared to care for an infant, toddler, or troubled teen. They are nearing retirement and planning how they will enjoy their empty nest with travel and relaxation or have already retired and may live on a fixed income, some below the poverty level.

Prior to taking on the full time job of raising her grandson Mary Ann was a 20 year employee with Harris Corporation in Melbourne, Florida as sub-contracts manager. She holds a BS in psychology. Currently Mary Ann is retired from Harris and is the full time Executive Program Director of GRG of Brevard. Her grandson has graduated from college and is an attorney with are large law firm in Orlando, Florida, he also serves on the Board of Directors for GRG of Brevard.