Foster Grandparents is a special volunteer initiative sponsored by Catholic Charities. Volunteers age 60 and older work directly with children in schools, day cares, Head Start, and other settings.
Volunteers must meet certain income guidelines to participate. Those that do are paid a stipend for the hours they work and are provided meals and transportation to and from volunteer sites. Grandparents receive extensive training, both before they begin work and after they have been assigned to a site. The Grandparents are active in Wyandotte County, working from 15 to 40 hours each week.
A "Grandma" or "Grandpa" may be assigned to work with one child or a small group on reading or math. Many are linked with children in pre-school to do pre-reading activities such as language development, vocabulary, or number recognition. Often, the Grandparents help children to develop social skills. No matter what specific work they are doing, the Grandparents offer a caring attitude and a willingness to listen to children who need attention from an older adult. The special relationship between a Foster Grandparent and a child is at the heart of the program.
