Healing Grandparent Alienation Through Surrogate Bonds with Donna Skora

On the day her grandson was born, Donna Skora received a single text message that would end all contact and bring years of quiet grief. From that rupture, Donna created Surrogate Grandparents USA, a nationwide community where elders and families build trusted, intergenerational bonds. We unpack the human cost of grandparent alienation, why silence teaches the wrong lessons to kids, and how control, fear, and cultural trends toward isolation fuel a growing estrangement crisis. Donna shares why one-sided therapy narratives can harden divides and what real repair looks like when conversations stall. Then we pivot to solutions – you’ll hear exactly how Surrogate Grandparents USA works: clear guidelines, safety practices, background checks, slow trust building, and a welcoming private community that supports long-term, healthy connections.Two powerful success stories bring the model to life: a 140-mile bond sustained by steady visits, holidays, and everyday texts; and a nine-year family journey that wove babysitting, sleepovers, and celebrations into the fabric of daily life. Along the way, we explore broader inclusion – parents who want more nearby support, grandparents with room for more love, and young adults who have aged out of foster care searching for stable, caring adults. The takeaway is hopeful: when biology breaks down, community can still carry love forward.Surrogate Grandparents - USA:https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurrogateGrandparentsNorthAmericahttps://www.instagram.com/surrogate_gp_usaSupport the showSupport the showOut Of The Blue:Exclusive content: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org/blog