The reasons parents are forced to give up their children may differ, but it's not uncommon for relatives to step in. Our Beth Croughan introduces us to some of those individuals and the support system they rely on.

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HAMPTONBURGH, N.Y. -- Sharing parenting tips, over lunch. But these aren't your everyday parents.

"It was apparent that she wasn't able to be there for Faith, for my granddaughter. So, it fell on my wife and I," said Dave Goggins of Middletown.

Dave Goggins, 62, plays two roles.

"Having to be a grandparent and a parent at the same time, I think is the most difficult thing," he said.

But with that difficulty, comes reward. "We get to spend so much time with her and watch another human being grow and develop," said Goggins.

Goggins is one of more than 2,300 grandparents across Orange County raising their grandchildren and one of more than 200,000 caregivers nationwide.

"It's a lot better. I know who I am, so I'm not chasing my tail trying to figure out who I am and raising a kid too. So I can focus my time and energies on Mia," said Grandmother Patti Harp.

While the experience, for Harp, has been easier the second time around, she still sought out support.

"Just to see if there was any more help out there, for raising grandchildren. How's it going to be different," said Harp.

That's where the Relatives as Parents Program, or RAPP, of Orange County came in.

"We started out with eight people and now we serve well over 250," said Denyse Variano of the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Orange County.

And Friday, RAPP celebrated its 12th year and the caregivers at a luncheon.

James Alton Thomas shared his story. He was raised by his grandparents after his father died in Vietnam.

"My parents passing, and I say my parents passing because when my father died, my mother died as well, because she check out of my life. I think that was actually a gift," said Thomas.

Thomas reminded the grandmas, grandpas, aunts and uncles in attendance, how important for a child, they are. And Dave Goggins said his granddaughter reminds him too.

"How much she appreciates us and it's nice to be appreciated," he said smiling.