Are you 55 or older and looking for a meaningful experience? Do you have limited income and would benefit from receiving up to $5,500.00 per year in tax free earnings? Would you enjoy volunteering at an approved local community location such as a school or a not-for-profit child-care agency? You may be eligible for this national service program. Sound too good to be true? Nope!

Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program (Southwest CAP) has sponsored the Foster Grandparent Program for more than four decades. During this time, countless seniors have volunteered in classrooms, not-for-profit childcare agencies, and youth organizations to make a difference in the lives of children.

The Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) is one of three programs of the National Senior Corps which taps the skills, talents, and experiences of senior Americans to meet a wide range of community needs. Locally the Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program (Southwest CAP) sponsors the FGP in counties of Grant, Richland, Iowa, Lafayette, Green, Crawford, Vernon, and Sauk. Foster Grandparents volunteer during the school year under the supervision of staff to provide an intergenerational component at educational sites, not-for-profit child care agencies, and family enhancement programs.

FGP is administered through the Corporation for National and Community Service, which assists local not-for-profit and public agencies in carrying out their missions. To assist in off-setting the cost of volunteering, qualified Foster Grandparent volunteers who meet FGP income and program guidelines receive a tax-free hourly stipend, training, travel and meal allowance, and other benefits including the satisfaction of helping youth in their community.

Want to find out more? On Monday, June 18th, the Director of the Foster Grandparent Program, Cindy Gher-Deckert, will be at the Greenhouse Room of the New Glarus Home from 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m .; and the Monticello Public Library at 512 East Lake Avenue in Monticello from 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. No appointments are needed, just drop by any time.

If you are unable to visit with Cindy on June 18th, you can contact her at the Southwest CAP business office at 149 N. Iowa Street, Dodgeville, WI 53533, or call her at 1-800-704-8555 Ext. 209, or e-mail at c.deckert@swcap.org.

More information is available at http://www.scap.org or http://www.nationalservice.gov.