Since 1965, the Foster Grandparents has been an intergenerational program that serves the dual purpose of connecting income-eligible persons 55 or older with opportunities to provide one-on-one mentoring, nurturing and support to school-age children needing to gain skills and confidence.
“Our classroom grandparents spend at least 15 hours per week tutoring children in early childhood centers and schools. In turn, Foster Grandparents derive significant emotional and health benefits from their service, improving their quality of life and providing a strong sense of purpose,” Program Director Maryalice Snider said.
“Volunteers serve at no expense to themselves; they receive a modest tax-free hourly stipend, mileage reimbursement, paid leave time, and other monetary and emotional benefits.”
Snider has been the Project Director of Foster Grandparents of the Wyoming Rockies (FGWR) since 2015. Snider and the Laramie and Sheridan Project Coordinators cover seven Wyoming counties.
“I manage the staff, responsible for the program’s grant writing, compliance & reporting, outreach and fiscal management. I also help manage volunteers and volunteer sites,” Snider said.
Senior citizens who apply to be Foster Grandparents can volunteer in their area’s school communities, which helps reduce social isolation and brings an opportunity to get out into the community.
Longitudinal studies show that individuals that volunteer as Foster Grandparents see improvements in physical markers such as hypertension and body weight and have less depression.
“Many children do not have their own grandparents close by. Children and teenagers would be most inclined to interact with a Foster Grandparent in the school setting,” Snider said.
“Interacting with a Foster Grandparent either in the tutor-student role or as a caring, older adult of a different generation is beneficial for both parties.”
AmeriCorps is the Federal Granting Agency that provides most of the funding for the FGWR. Under that umbrella is AmeriCorps Seniors, which administers three programs engaging individuals 55 or older in varying service capacities, with Foster Grandparents being one of them.
Every Foster Grandparent Program must have a community non-profit to act as the fiscal agent for their federal grant. FGWR’s is Action Resources International, the fiscal agent for other National Service programs such as AmeriCorps and VISTA, and occasionally NCCC.
“FGWR gets a lot of community support, as our schools and centers provide lunches and sometimes breakfast for their Foster Grandparents. It’s a community effort and a win-win for all involved,” Snider said.
“Schools get help in the classroom, students benefit from one-on-one tutoring and mentoring with a caring senior, and our seniors have an improved quality of life and a strong sense of purpose.”
All Foster Grandparents must complete a full background check at the program’s expense. They must also complete training throughout the year, for which they are paid their stipend.
“Our grandparents serve under the direct supervision of a teacher and are never alone with children; they do not take the place of school staff,” Snider said.
“We often hear from teachers that their Foster Grandparent is integral to their classroom’s success. We hear from our volunteers that becoming a Foster Grandparent is one of the best decisions they’ve ever made.”
The mission statement of FGWR is “to foster a healthy, unified and productive community through the cultivation of mentoring relationships between wise elders and children with identified needs.” This is the essence of the Foster Grandparent Program.
“Our seniors in the program have a wealth of experiences and knowledge to share, and connecting them to schools where they can help children thrive and improve their skills benefits the whole community,” Snider said.
“Every aspect of our society benefits from positive connections and the shared worth of all individuals.”
