Post Messenger Recorder -

January is National Mentoring Month. The word mentor often means “a wise and responsible tutor” or “an experienced person who advises, guides, teaches, inspires, challenges, and serves as a model”. All this and more can be said about Foster Grandparent volunteers.

More than a half of a million adult Americans serve as volunteers through the Senior Corps volunteer programs. Engaging Americans to strengthen their communities through volunteer service is the primary role of the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), which encourages Americans to give back through the primary national service programs of Senior Corps and AmeriCorps. Southwest Wisconsin has a Senior Corps volunteer program; the Foster Grandparents Program (FGP) taps into the skills, talents, and experience of adults 55 and older. Locally, the Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program (Southwest CAP) sponsors the FGP volunteer program in Green, Grant, Iowa, Lafayette, Richland, Sauk, Vernon, and Crawford counties.

Volunteers of the FGP assist their communities by volunteering at approved sites such as schools, after-school programs, family enhancement programs, not-for-profit daycare agencies and other qualified youth programs. Foster Grandparents, under the supervision of host station staff, provide supportive activities such as assisting with reading, math skills, social skills, or other areas where children may be challenged to keep pace with their peers. To off-set the cost of volunteering, qualified FG volunteers who meet FGP income and program guidelines receive a stipend which does not affect income sensitive programs such as housing and SSI. Most volunteers agree that the best benefit is the satisfaction of interacting with and helping children and youth of the community.

Want to learn more about volunteering for the Foster Grandparent Program? You can drop in anytime between 12:00 p.m.-4:00 p.m., at an Open House on Tuesday, January 22, 2019, at Southwest CAP’s business office at 149 North Iowa Street, Dodgeville, WI 53533. If you are unable to attend on January 22nd, you may also e-mail c.deckert@swcap.org or call 1-800-704-8555, extension 209.

Additional information on the Foster Grandparent Program is available at http://www.southwestcap.org or http://www.nationalservice.gov.