Recently, Jenn Gaffney, the AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Coordinator, paid a visit to Grandma Lana’s classroom to read a storybook to the Kindergarteners. During the visit, Jenn chose to read Scaredy Squirrel by Melanie Webb, which turned out to be a delightful experience for both the students and Jenn.
Our AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program recently visited Syracuse University’s Special Collection Research Center at Bird Library to view: “A Love Supreme: Black Cultural Expression and Political Activism of the 1960s and 1970s”.
The exhibition was co-curated by Caroline and Jessica, both Ph.D. candidates at SU and raised in Syracuse, NY. The smiles in the photo show the immediate connection made between these bright scholars and our wise senior citizens.
Our AmeriCorps Seniors Foster Grandparent Program recently held a Master-PEACEs painting party.
FGP’s resident artist and Coordinator, Jenn Gaffney, guided the fun – encouraging the foster grandparents to be creative with sunsets or sunrises over the skyline of our city. Can you identify the iconic buildings of Syracuse??
This was a fun activity for our seniors and informative- stressing art’s importance. Art is a process, not a product – it encourages creativity and self-expression while developing cognitive and physical skills.
Their presence ensures that special needs children receive additional individualized support, encouragement and companionship. By providing a stable, loving presence in a young person’s life, Foster Grandparents are building bridges between the younger and older generations.
In improving the lives of the children they serve, Foster Grandparents are profoundly improving their own lives. While remaining active and contributing to their communities, Foster Grandparents experience improved health, welfare and quality of life.
Despite the pandemic, 96% of AmeriCorps Senior-Foster Grandparent Program participants reported improved mental and emotional health.
For more information, visit: www.peace-caa.org/fostergrandparent/