Volunteers Wanted to Foster Grandparent Program

ST. CLOUD -- A long time volunteer program continues to shape lives for kids in central Minnesota.

The Foster Grandparent program started back in 1955 and provides meaningful, supportive relationships for local kids. The volunteers help out in schools, non-profit daycare's and other organizations.

Area Supervisor Sara Heurung says while they have many of their volunteers helping out at elementary schools, she would love to get foster grandparents into the high schools.

Personally in the St. Cloud area I don't have any grandparents in the high school level, I would love a few. But our grandparents tend to want to work with the younger kids because once they get into that algebra, geometry range they get worried how to help.

Heurung says they are always looking for more volunteers. She says with schools continually facing budget cuts, volunteers become an important assets.

As you read in the news a lot of classroom sizes are changing, the needs of the teachers are greater, and with budget cuts a lot of those little extras get cut. Volunteers can be those extras in the classrooms so kids can get what they need.

The Foster Grandparent program is run through Catholic Charities and serves the 16 counties of the Diocese of St. Cloud.

Foster Grandparents receive a small stipend, training and other benefits for their service. You must be 55-years-old or older and you don't have to be a grandparent to volunteer.