DONATE NOW < Back to Volunteer Opportunities The Foster Grandparent Program pairs low income older adults with troubled, disabled or hospitalized children. Foster Grandparents give children 15-40 hours every week of warmth, kindness and attention at hospitals, homeless shelters, special care facilities and pre-school centers. Services are provided at no charge. The children helped by our Foster Grandparents  How Foster Grandparents help Where Foster Grandparents work  Who can become a Foster Grandparent  Training that we provide for Foster Grandparents Become a Foster Grandparent Volunteer Stipend and other benefits to volunteers Number of individuals served in 2011 Senior volunteers resource (Senior Corps) Statistics and aging information For more information The children helped by our Foster Grandparents  Children with disabilities, babies affected by drug use and troubled youth are some of the children with special needs who receive care from our Foster Grandparents. The Foster Grandparents provide warmth, support and attention to these children in an ongoing relationship. Back to top How Foster Grandparents help Foster Grandparents provide assistance in a number of areas including Socialization - Talking, listening, reading, nurturing and holding Personal Care - Bathing, dressing and feeding Supportive Care - Assisting in learning situations or therapy; developing parenting skills.

Where Foster Grandparents work 

Foster grandparents work at approximately 20 sites in Dallas County, including Children's Medical Center, Vogel Alcove, Head Start Centers, Mi Escuelita Preschool, Dallas County Juvenile Detention Center Department and Callier Center. 

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Who can become a Foster Grandparent 

The Foster Grandparent Program is open to individuals age 55+ years. Foster Grandparents with low incomes ($1,805 a month for a one person household; $2,428 for a two person household; for other household sizes contact the Foster Grandparent Director) receive a stipend of $2.65 an hour. The stipend is not regarded as income and does not affect other benefits or assistance the foster grandparents may receive. All grandparents serve 15-40 hours a week. An application, references, interview and criminal background check are required of all Foster Grandparents.

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Training that we provide for Foster Grandparents

Each Foster Grandparent receives 40 hours of training prior to placement, five additional hours of in-service training monthly and ongoing supportive informal training from program staff.

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Become a Foster Grandparent Volunteer

Please contact the Foster Grandparent Director at 214.823.5700 or email.

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Stipend and other benefits to volunteers

Grandparents with low incomes ($1,805 a month for a one person household; $2,428 for a two person household; for other household sizes contact the Foster Grandparent Director) receive a stipend of $2.65 an hour. The stipend is not regarded as income and does not affect other benefits or assistance the Foster Grandparents may receive. All volunteers receive daily meals, an annual physical, transportation allowances, accident insurance and recognition.

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Number of individuals served in 2011

In 2011, 114 low-income older adults worked 15 to 40 hours a week with 3,273 special needs children at hospitals, homeless shelters, and special care facilities providing 98,955 hours of special attention. The children benefitted from the attention of the foster grandparents, and the lives of the grandparents were enriched by a sense of being needed.


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For more information

Please contact the Foster Grandparent Director at 214.823.5700 or
e-mail. 

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