Foster Grandparent Program

One our most valuable assets at the West Warwick Senior Center is The Foster Grandparent Program and the impact this program has on our children. This program has been located at the West Warwick Senior Center since 1991. The West Warwick Senior Center serves as the project sponsor for this agency. The director of this program is Diane Richardson who has served in some capacity with this organization for over 17 years. It is under the auspices of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Foster Grandparents are a dedicated group of volunteers who volunteer 20-25 hours weekly in our schools, daycares and nurseries. They are paid a tax free stipend of $2.65 per hour plus $3.00 a day travel expenses. There are to date 32 sites in Rhode Island with a total of 59 Volunteers serving in schools, daycares and nurseries with ongoing recruitment.

One example is the presence of Foster Grandparents in the town of West Warwick. Currently there are 16 senior volunteers serving at 6 sites these sites are: Joyful Noise Child Care Center, CHILD, Inc. Head start Program, St. Joseph's School, Horgan School, Greenbush School, and Wakefield Hills Elementary Schools. One of these volunteers continues to serve during the summer months at the W.W. Public Library with children's programs offered there.

For the year 2010 these dedicated volunteers provided approx. 65,784 hours of service. If all of the agencies and the school department had to pay for these volunteer services it would cost approx. $1,241,344.00. This figure is based on the national rate of $18.87 for Rhode Island that is used to calculate the amount of saving that a volunteer provides.

SO THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS FOR A JOB WELL DONE!

TO BECOME A FOSTER GRANDPARENT VOLUNTEER CALL
THE WEST WARWICK SENIOR CENTER @ 822-4450
AND ASK FOR DIANE RICHARDSON, DIRECTOR
OR LINDA PLANTE, COORDINATOR