The Foster Grandparent Program provides volunteer opportunities for people aged 60 and older from all economic, educational, and social backgrounds to serve children and teenagers who have special needs as well as their families.  Foster Grandparents help young people increase their self-confidence and achieve personal independence so that they can learn to overcome their problems and become productive members of society.

• Program Description – Foster Grandparents volunteer an average of 1,040 hours every year (15 to 40 hours weekly) through local community non-profit agencies in both community-based and in-home settings.  Volunteers who meet certain income guidelines receive a small, non-taxable stipend, which enables those living on limited incomes to served at no cost to themselves.  Assistance with the cost of transportation, a daily meal, an annual physical exam, and on-duty accident and liability insurance are also provided to all volunteers.

• Children Served – School drop-outs and teen runaways; children coping with abandonment, homelessness, abuse and neglect, chronic or terminal illness, physical, mental and emotional disabilities, substance abuse, mental illness, illiteracy, learning and developmental disabilities, juvenile delinquency, and teen pregnancy. 

• Volunteer Activities – Tutoring, teaching pre-vocational and remedial academic skills, motivation, socializing and talking, mentoring, listening, counseling, serving as role models, reading aloud, holding and caring for boarder babies and children with illnesses and physical disabilities, teaching practical living and coping skills, teaching infant care.

Local Impact

• In FY 2006, 89 Foster Grandparent volunteers contributed over 81,000 hours of service through 56 local agencies. The value of this service is over $1.3 million, and represents more than a 4-fold return on the federal dollars invested in FGP.
• 116 children, teenagers, and their families were supported by the services of Foster Grandparents in fiscal year 2006.
• Volunteers serve through programs sponsored and managed by local agencies in eight Tennessee counties – Cocke, Graingaer, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Jefferson, Sullivan, and Washington.

Budget

The Foster Grandparent Program's FY 2006 federal budget from the Corporation for National and Community Service is $351,451.