Allowing children and seniors to mutually benefit from an intergenerational relationship

Catholic Charities Foster Grandparent Program provides the opportunity for stipend volunteers age 55+ to make a lasting contribution to their community by mentoring children in 100+ nonprofit volunteer sites across Central Minnesota. Foster Grandparents volunteer a minimum of 15 hours per week; many give up to 40 hours. Annually, 220 Foster Grandparents serve 8,000 of children for a total of 180,000 hours of service. Volunteer Sites often say that they don't know how they would ever replace their Foster Grandparents because of all of the good that they do.

Providing a valuable "natural" resource

Foster Grandparents are valuable resources for children and for their Volunteer Sites. They offer wisdom and the benefit of their knowledge, various talents, and experience to children and to the service site. Often a Foster Grandparent fills a void left in a child's life when his/her own grandparents live at a distance or are deceased. A Foster "Grandma" or "Grandpa" gives each special child valuable one-on-one attention, encouragement, and unconditional love.

Offering themselves in service to Central Minnesota's children

Foster Grandparents volunteer throughout the 16 Central Minnesota counties served by Catholic Charities of the Diocese of St. Cloud: Benton, Douglas, Grant, Isanti, Kanabec, Mille Lacs, Morrison, Otter Tail, Pope, Sherburne, Stearns, Stevens, Todd, Traverse, Wadena, and Wilkin counties. Children in these counties are waiting for their Foster Grandparent. There is always a need to register more Foster Grandparent volunteers and more service sites.

Volunteering: Individuals

Learn more about becoming a Foster Grandparent.

Invite a Foster Grandparent into your organization

Learn more about inviting a Foster Grandparen to work with your group or organization

Nationally recognized program

The Central Minnesota Foster Grandparent Program of Catholic Charities is designed for persons age 55 years and older, regardless of their race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, sex, marital status, or disability. The program is funded by the Corporation for National & Community Service, MN Board on Aging, and local United Ways and is administered by Catholic Charities because we are concerned about the quality of life for our senior citizens and for the children and communities they serve.

• Program Information
• Becoming a Foster Grandparent
• Becoming a Foster Grandparent Site
  
• Foster Grandparent News and Stories

• Related Links
• Map & Directions

• Paperwork