FIFTYFORWARD, A NON-PROFIT AGENCY, HAS SPONSORED THE NASHVILLE, DAVIDSON COUNTY FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM (FGP) FOR 54 YEARS. THE FGPROGRAM WAS THE FIRST ESTABLISHED IN THE U.S. FIFTYFORWARD HAS BEEN A PROVIDER OF SENIOR SERVICES IN DAVIDSON COUNTY FOR MORE THAN SIXTY-ONE YEARS. THEIR MISSION IS TO SUPPORT, CHAMPION AND ENHANCE THE LIVES OF THOSE 50 AND OLDER. THE FGPROGRAM OFFERS REWARDING VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES TO SENIORS BY PARTNERING WITH 14 VOLUNTEER SITES: SIX PRE-ELEMENTARY CHILD LEARNING CENTERS AND EIGHT METRO NASHVILLE PUBLIC AND CHARTER SCHOOLS. DURING THIS THREE YEAR GRANT PERIOD, AN ESTIMATED 55 FGP VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE 20 HOURS EACH WEEK, PROVIDING A TOTAL OF 57,420 HOURS OF SERVICE EACH YEAR. VOLUNTEER SITES ARE LOCATED IN SEVEN NASHVILLE DISTRICTS WITH THE HIGHEST RATES OF VIOLENT CRIME, UNEMPLOYMENT AND LOWEST ELEVENTH GRADE TEST SCORES. CHILDREN IN THESE AREAS LIVE IN A CONSTANTLY CHANGING AND UNPREDICTABLE WORLD. MANY SUFFER EMOTIONAL NEGLECT, LIVE IN DYSFUNCTIONAL HOMES, AND HAVE PARENTS THAT ARE INCARCERATED; ALL FACTORS THAT LEAD TO POOR SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE. THE FGPROGRAM'S FOCUS IS EDUCATION. ALL VOLUNTEERS WILL BE PLACED IN OUTCOME BASED ASSIGNMENTS, WORKING IN A SUPPORTIVE ROLE WITH ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED AND SPECIAL OR EXCEPTIONAL NEEDS CHILDREN. WHILE SERVING CHILDREN, VOLUNTEERS WILL BE POSITIVE ROLE MODELS, PROVIDE FRIENDSHIP AND SHOW UNCONDITIONAL ACCEPTANCE. IN CHILD LEARNING CENTERS, VOLUNTEERS WILL ASSIST IN THE CLASSROOM USING POSITIVE INTERACTION AND SUPPORT; THEY WILL FOCUS ON SOCIAL/EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND SCHOOL READINESS AS DESCRIBED IN PERFORMANCE MEASURE ED23. AT THE END OF THE THREE YEAR GRANT, IT IS ANTICIPATED THAT ASSIGNED CHILDREN SERVED WILL SHOW AN IMPROVEMENT IN ACADEMIC SKILLS AND BEHAVIOR AND ARE BETTER PREPARED TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN. IN METRO SCHOOLS, K-4TH GRADE, VOLUNTEERS WILL GIVE THEIR TIME TO STRUGGLING STUDENTS, DEVELOP A TRUSTING RELATIONSHIP AND SUPPORT ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS AS DESCRIBED IN PERFORMANCE MEASURE ED27C. AT THE END OF THE THREE YEAR GRANT, DUE TO THE RELATIONSHIP WITH A FOSTER GRANDPARENT, STUDENTS WILL SHOW AN IMPROVED INTEREST IN SCHOOL, INCREASED EDUCATIONAL GOALS AND IMPROVED SOCIAL EMOTIONAL SKILLS WHICH BENEFIT THE STUDENT'S DAILY INTERACTION WITHIN THE CLASSROOM. FGP IS SUPPORTED FINANCIALLY BY DOLLAR GENERAL LITERACY FOUNDATION $21,000, METRO NASHVILLE UNITED WAY $19,000 AND FIFTYFORWARD $73,085. CHILD CENTERS AND METRO SCHOOLS PROVIDE IN-KIND RESOURCES OF $44,000. FIFTYFORWARD'S FGPROGRAM IS REQUESTING A CNCS FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $306,828.00