Many older adults want to stay active and engaged with their community. Our Foster Grandparent Program, serving Luzerne and Wyoming Counties, provides an opportunity for senior volunteers to play a special role in the lives of young children in neighboring school districts and youth centers. Foster grandparents work one-on-one with children identified as high-risk or having special needs, supporting their physical, mental, emotional and social development. This is a free service available for ages 0 to 21, and the average age of children served is 3 to 5 years old. Foster grandparents meet with children on a weekly basis in pre-K programs, elementary schools, head start programs, and other youth-based facilities.
Our Foster Grandparents provide:
- Help with reading and other learning tasks
- One-on-one conversations and guidance
- Love and support at critical moments in a child’s life
If you’d like to learn more about Telespond Senior Services’ Foster Grandparent Program, please contact Lashawna Quintero.
Email: l.quintero@telespond.org
Phone: (570) 961-1950
Foster Grandparent Volunteer Requirements:
- Be 55 years of age or older
- Meet the current AmeriCorps Seniors Income Guidelines
- Have 20+ hours per week availability
- Enjoy spending time with children
- Want a tax-free stipend
Foster Grandparent Volunteer Benefits:
- A small tax-free financial stipend that does not endanger your Social Security, SNAP, PACE, rent rebates or other government entitlement programs
- Paid pre-service training and on-going training, vacation time and holidays
- Reimbursement of mileage or public transportation
- The joy of playing a valued role in the life of a child in need
If becoming a foster grandparent sounds appealing to you, please get in touch! We’d love to connect with you and introduce you to a current foster grandparent so you can ask questions and learn more about the program and volunteer benefits.
Our foster grandparents work with children in the following Luzerne and Wyoming County facilities:
- Child Development Council (CDC)
- Crestwood School District
- Greater Nanticoke Area School District
- Hazleton Area School District
- Lake Lehman Early Learning Center
- Luzerne County Head Start
- Northwest Area School District
- Pittston Area School District
- Wyoming Area School District
- Wyoming Valley West School District
- Wilkes Barre Area School District
If your school or organization would like to partner with our foster grandparent program, reach out to Lashawna at l.quintero@telespond.org.