Recognizing the Montgomery County Foster Grandparent Program

RECOGNIZING THE MONTGOMERY COUNTY FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM

HON. JIM GERLACH OF PENNSYLVANIA
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 21, 2004

Mr. GERLACH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the constituents in my district who, through years of service, have made the Foster Grandparents Program a tremendous success in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.

The Foster Grandparent Program is a pairing of low income elderly over the age of 60 with special needs children. There are currently over 140 men and women who volunteer 20 hours per week, 52 weeks per year, giving love, guidance, tutelage, and the wisdom of their years of experience to children from infants to eighteen years of age at numerous locations throughout Montgomery County.

The Foster Grandparent Program brings countless benefits to the senior citizens and to the children with whom they interact. This program allows the volunteers to remain active and involved in their communities, as they are needed and valued by everyone with whom they interact. The children the senior citizens work with are developmentally delayed, physically handicapped, homeless, abused, neglected, teen parents, delinquent, learning disabled, or born to mothers addicted to drugs. Through this pairing, the children increase their academic skills, enhance their self-esteem and learn to cope with their disabilities and special problems. Thus, through the program, they gain the knowledge that they are special and cared for as we all attempt to make the world a safer, less violent place to live.

The Foster Grandparent Program is a very successful and worthwhile program that puts the time and talents of Montgomery County, Pennsylvania's senior citizens to work benefiting special needs children. The program is 32 years old and, for 28 years, it has been sponsored by Montgomery County Family Services. Nationally, the Foster Grandparent Program is 39 years old with 350 Foster Grandparent Programs in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

Many of the people that have volunteered their time for the Foster Grandparent Program in my district have done so for several years. Mary Refino has participated in the program for 24 years; Elizabeth Baccke for 16 years; Dot Scandone for 15 years; Ann Dippolito for 11 years; Dolores Fogel, Rosa Lee Randall, Juanita Gray and Eldora Smith for 10 years; and Mary Banks, Betty Glover, Louise Watson and Ann Maire Williams for 5 years. It is the continuing dedication and commitment by these individuals that allows the Foster Grandparent Program to be such a success and help so many people.

Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues join me today in recognizing the Foster Grandparent Program and all of their volunteers in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania and across our nation.

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