North central-flint hills area agency on aging (NC-fhaaa), the sponsoring agency for the foster grandparent program is a private not for profit agency serving an 18 county region in central kansas

The agency's mission is "to create a comprehensive and coordinated system of services to enhance the dignity and independence of older kansans". NC-FH AAA sponsored services are available to any kansan who meets the income eligibility requirements and services are specifically targeted to low-income, low-income minority, and frail/isolated older kansans. NC-FH AAA is requesting $213,696 to sponsor the foster grandparent program. The cncs federal investment of $213,696 will be supplemented with $24,382 of non federal resources. Our project will focus on k-12 success and school readiness serving in public/faith based elementary schools, head start and pre-k school readiness programs in saline, dickinson, geary, and riley counties. An estimated 32 unduplicated volunteers will serve in a network of 17 public volunteer stations. The foster grandparents will tutor/mentor in the classrooms with the assigned children focusing on literacy. The 32 foster grandparents serving in k-12 success will address literacy with the assigned children utilizing books, flash cards, worksheets, games and other activities to teach sound, vocabulary, spelling and writing. These children will show an improved academic performance in literacy /math. Three foster grandparents will serve in the school readiness programs at USD 475 early childhood development center and the USD 383 head start. The foster grandparents serving in school readiness work plans will assist in the classroom activities designed to increase the child's literacy skills along with their social and/or emotional development.