BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — A nonprofit is taking a unique approach to help children, having senior volunteers serve as their mentors inside the classroom.

What You Need To Know

  • The Foster Grandparents program partners volunteers 55 and older with teachers to help students learn 

  • Nonprofit Community Action of Southern Kentucky runs the program 

  • Program volunteers attend 20 hours of paid pre-service training as well as 25 hours of annual in-service training

  • After their training, volunteers help students grow through projects, reading and other school subjects

“It’s exciting, seeing how much they learn day to day," said volunteer Mary Neal. 

Nonprofit Community Action of Southern Kentucky's Foster Grandparents program partners volunteers 55 and older with teachers to help students. 

“It’s a win-win situation, for me and the kids," said Cumberland Elementary School teacher Laura Sanders. 

Program volunteers attend 20 hours of paid pre-service training as well as 25 hours of annual in-service training to make sure children get the best senior mentors. 

“I say, ‘I’m helping the children,’ but the children are helping me," said volunteer Teresa Woodson. 

After their training, volunteers help students grow through projects, reading and other school subjects.

“They’ll come in and say, ‘Miss Teresa, I can’t read,'" Woodson said. "At the end of the year, if they can read a word or two, add or subtract a problem, then I feel like I have done what I’m supposed to do."

Volunteers are required to serve a minimum of 15 hours per week and up to 40 hours based on the needs of individual sites.

Opportunities are available in Allen, Barren, Butler, Edmonson, Hart, Logan, Metcalfe, Monroe, Simpson and Warren counties.

Related Stories