At 60 years old, Cindy Woodman thought she'd be gearing up for retirement.

Instead, she's raising her 7-year-old granddaughter, Delilah Ortiz.

She took temporary custody of Delilah in November 2006 and permanent custody last April after she said the child’s mother started abusing drugs.

"I could see that it was harming my grandchild, so that's when I had to step in and say OK we have to do something here."

She also works full-time and takes college courses two nights a week, hoping a degree will help.

She gets a grandparent stipend of about $380 from the state every month, which she says barely covers the cost of food.

But, if she became a licensed foster parent she would get about $700 to $900 a month.

"It's very difficult and I’m kind of in a catch 22 because I really want her to be here, but I feel like I’m going under. It’s tough and I’m sure I’m not the only person who feels that way," she said.

Kathleen Lutz, the coordinator of grandparent programs at the Consultation Center in New Haven, said the agency offers support groups and money for scholarships, camps, and other activities.

Right now, Connecticut lawmakers are considering several measures to increase the amount of state assistance grandparents raising grandkids receive. One bill would make the amount equal to the foster parent subsidy.

Rep. Kathy Tallarita is a co-sponsor of the bill that would give grandparents the same subsidy as foster parents.

Supporters said it would still be less costly than having the kids in foster care. That is because foster care children are monitored by the state, and kids cared for by grandparents are not.

"These are decisions that they're not choosing to make. They’re decisions that are forced upon them because of situations and I think the state needs to step up and try to do something to help," Tallarita said.

Woodman is hoping the legislation passes.

In the meantime, she's applying for a state grandparent-assistance grant and planning to continue caring for her granddaughter the best she can.

"We are working citizens. Most of us have worked all of our lives and now we're in the position where we're raising a grandchild and we really need help," she said.

Right now in Connecticut there are an estimated 20,000 grandparents raising about 40,000 grandchildren around the state.