Grants support children and young people with special needs across the state
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS), the federal agency that administers AmeriCorps, today announced more than $1.4 million in funding for new Senior Corps programs in Wisconsin. This funding, awarded to 10 local organizations, will support more than 350 Foster Grandparent volunteers.
The 50-year old Foster Grandparent program connects volunteers age 55 and over with opportunities to provide one-on-one mentoring, nurturing, and support to children and young people with special or exceptional needs, or who are at an academic, social, or financial disadvantage. Last year, more than 25,000 Foster Grandparents served more than 200,000 young people across the country.
“For decades, older Americans have been making a powerful impact in their communities, and this service is more important now than ever,” said Erin McGrath, acting director of Senior Corps at the Corporation for National and Community Service. “The Foster Grandparent program is a win-win for communities because it benefits children and adults alike – young people receive emotional and intellectual support, while providing Senior Corps volunteers with an opportunity to stay engaged in their communities, a proven strategy for healthy aging. I am delighted that more Wisconsinites will have the same opportunity through the new grants announced today.”
A geographic-specific grant competition was held to replace service areas left vacant when the State of Wisconsin Department of Human Services relinquished their Foster Grandparent Program grant in 2016. Grants to these 10 new organizations will allow more than 350 older adults to serve the children of Wisconsin in schools, daycare centers, juvenile centers, and other child care settings.
The following organizations were awarded funding:
- RSVP of Dane County (City of Madison and Dane County)
- Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Programs, Inc. (Vernon and Sauk Counties)
- ADVOCAP (Fond du Lac, Green Lake and Winnebago Counties)
- Cooperative Education Service Agency 10 (Chippewa, Clark, Eau Claire, Monroe, Rusk, Taylor and Trempealeau Counties)
- Wisconsin Department of Corrections (Lincoln County juvenile facilities)
- Encompass Early Childhood Education and Care, Inc. (Green Bay and De Pere Counties)
- Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin (Racine and Kenosha Counties)
- Workforce Connections (City of LaCrosse and LaCrosse, Pepin, Buffalo, Jackson and Juneau Counties)
- Community Relations, Social Development Commission (Milwaukee County)
- Aging and Disability Resource Center of Portage (Portage County)