The AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program provides senior citizens a chance to volunteer mentoring and tutoring children. The United Way is happy to be sponsoring a Foster Grandparents program in our area thanks to the AmeriCorps Seniors grant. You can learn more on the Americorps Seniors webpage or continue reading below.
Bring Out the Best of America
Help guide students to higher academic achievement. Care for premature infants or children with disabilities. Mentor teenagers and young mothers. The Foster Grandparent program connects role models like you to young people with exceptional needs.
Enrich your life while enriching the lives of others. AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers who serve in the Foster Grandparent program provide the kind of comfort and love that sets a child on a path to a successful future. AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers report better health and longevity having served their community.
To serve in AmeriCorps Seniors programs you must:
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be 55 years and older.
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reside in Foster Grandparents (FGP) designated service area OR a neighboring county without an FGP program. If you reside in a neighboring county, you must serve in a volunteer station within reasonable distance to your home and be able to provide your own transportation.
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for our Foster Grandparents program, that includes the areas of Central, South Central, and Eastern Idaho
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meet federal income eligibility guidelines.
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consent to and pass a comprehensive criminal history check required in accordance with AmeriCorps Seniors, sponsor, and volunteer station guidelines.
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adhere to our code of conduct and all other program policies and procedures set forth by sponsoring and funding agencies.
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be physically and mentally able to perform assigned activities with or without reasonable accommodations, to serve special need and/or at-risk children without detriment to themselves or the children served.
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have a willingness to learn and grow through ongoing training.
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have a genuine desire to work with children.
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be willing to serve a minimum of 5 hours per week (up to 40 hours per week).
Foster Grandparents (FGP) who complete all orientation and onboarding requirements will benefit in the following ways:
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Health and wellness. AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers experience decreased anxiety, depression, and loneliness. 84% of volunteers report stable or improving health after one year of service.
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Food. Meal supplement according to volunteer station meal availability.
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Self-improvement. See the daily impact of your service as you build on the skills you already have and develop new ones.
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Stipend. A modest , non-taxable, non-reportable hourly stipend for qualified, low-income volunteers, which includes paid orientation, ongoing training, and opportunities to connect with other FGPs. This stipend is not considered income.
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PTO. Earned paid time off (PTO) plus paid holidays.
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Transportation. Mileage reimbursement for all authorized FGP-related activities.
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Community. Connect with others and be part of something bigger. 88% of volunteers who felt a lack of companionship reported fewer feelings of isolation after becoming an AmeriCorps Seniors volunteer.
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New skills. AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers often tap their wealth of experience and wisdom and channel it in new directions.
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Insurance. Accident, personal liability, and excess automobile liability insurance.
If you would like to participate in the Foster Grandparents program, or have questions, contact Katie at kfrancis@unitedwayif.org.