Foster Grandparent program a winner for seniors, children

BARBARA BELLA

Local residents over 60 are invited to become Foster Grandparents in a program designed to benefit both seniors and children.

Foster Grandparents work with children in local schools through the Golden Umbrella program.

Qualified volunteers serve 15-40 hours per week and receive a small tax-free stipend and mileage reimbursement.

“I’m looking for someone who is retired. They are proactive. They have a lot of time and some skill and wisdom that they want to offer back into the community,” said Tina Brown, from Golden Umbrella.

Foster Grandparents enter kindergarten through high school classrooms to spend one-on-one time with students. Brown said that because of the atmosphere, it’s very important that volunteers be patient and tolerant, and have a love for working with kids.

‘They provide the attention that only a grandparent can give,” Brown said.

“Some of these kids home situation is not the best and the school is the constant in their lives,” Brown explained.

Local Foster Grandparent Barbara Bella does everything with students from helping with homework and listening to them read, to turning the jump rope with the girls, and eating lunch with students.

“The goal of the program is to be with the children as much as possible. Some of them don’t get the help at home. I will sit there with them and guide them through their work, and keep them interested in it,” Bella said.

The Foster Grandparent program has allowed Bella to find her ‘bliss.’

“My husband died five years ago, and for 4 years I couldn’t find anything to live for,” she explained. “It seemed like it gave me something to get up for every morning.”

By helping others, Bella helped herself in the process.

“Its even got my blood pressure down,” she said.

“Even the boys will come up and give me a hug,” Bella said. “They call me Grandma Barbara.”

Training classes for the Foster Grandparent program will be held in Redding in mid July. Participants must pass a background check.

For more information, and/or an application, please call 226-3098.