NORWALK, Conn. -- The Child and Family Guidance Center’s long-standing Foster Grandparent Program expanded to Norwalk last year and seeks new volunteers to support local elementary school children.
The Child & Family Guidance Center has hosted the Foster Grandparent Program for nearly 18 years, making incredible strides in Bridgeport by providing mentoring and support to over 2,500 students. The agency staff looks forward to expanding the program’s reach in Norwalk’s public schools.
The Foster Grandparent Program provides a unique opportunity for volunteers age 55 and over to stay active by serving children and youth in their communities. Volunteers provide support for approximately 20 hours each week in an assigned classroom, serving as role models, mentors, and friends to children with exceptional needs. All volunteers receive pre-service orientation, training throughout the year, and monthly in-service training opportunities to interact with their fellow volunteers. Volunteers who meet financial requirements are entitled to a non-taxable stipend of $212 per month (based on an estimated 80 hours of service a month) that does not affect social security or any other federal/state/local benefits.
The Child & Family Guidance Center’s Foster Grandparent Program receives the majority of its funding from the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal government agency that engages more than 5 million Americans in service through its core programs -- Senior Corps (which includes the Foster Grandparent Program), AmeriCorps, and the Social Innovation Fund. Additionally, The Child & Family Guidance Center partners with United Way of Coastal Fairfield County so that program volunteers can provide student supports in their Schools of Hope classrooms.
For information on how to become a Foster Grandparent volunteer, contact Program Director Sara Witherington, 203-394-6529, ext. 3044, swwitherington@cfguidance.org
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