MONROE — The Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program sponsors the Foster Grandparents Program designed for seniors. 

Foster Grandparent volunteers do not volunteer in homes, instead the focus of the FGP is to provide seniors with supervised volunteer opportunities in public and faith-based schools, Head Starts, not-for-profit daycares, and other organizations who focus on improving the lives of children. The volunteers read to or listen to children read, do math flash cards, or other classroom activities developed by the teacher. But FGP volunteers do much more, they encourage confidence in the children and assist them to grow into productive community members.

Foster Grandparents are seniors 55 and older who meet income guidelines and FGP guidelines, which includes a background check, and have the desire to use their life experience to volunteer 15-40 hours per week during the school year at approved host sites to encourage, tutor and mentor. 

The Foster Grandparent Program, created by Congress in 1965, is now in its second generation of providing an inter-generational component at approved host stations. Locally the Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program (Southwest CAP) sponsors the FGP in eight counties: Grant, Green, Iowa, Lafayette, Crawford, Richland, Vernon and Sauk. Foster Grandparent volunteers are part of the national service network of Senior Corps which utilizes life skills of seniors to meet community needs through volunteer service.  Funds for the Senior Corps programs are provided by the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) and state funded through DHFS. 

In return for volunteering, income qualified FGP volunteers can earn extra money in the form of a tax-free hourly stipend. As an added bonus the money does not affect any income sensitive program such as housing, heating assistance, food assistance or SSI. 

Volunteers also receive funds to assist with transportation to and from host site and FGP activities, a meal allowance, assistance with an annual physical, paid pre-service training and paid monthly trainings. 

Those who are 55 or older, have limited income and could benefit from tax-free earnings, and are interested in learning more about the opportunity to join other community members in activities that improve the lives of children, should contact the Foster Grandparent Program at Southwest CAP, 149 North Iowa Street, Dodgeville, WI 53533 or call 1-800-704-8555 ext. 209, or e-mail c.deckert@swcap.org. Additional information can be found on www.nationalservice.gov and www.swcap.org.