Project Grant 20SFANH001

THE FRIENDS PROGRAM, INC. IS A NON-PROFIT HUMAN SERVICES AGENCY OPERATING SINCE 1975 WITH FOUR PROGRAMS: A YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAM, EMERGENCY HOUSING FOR FAMILIES, FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM AND RSVP - RETIRED AND SENIOR VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. 92 OR MORE FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE EACH YEAR. THESE VOLUNTEERS WILL SUPPORT CHILDREN'S DEVELOPMENT IN A VARIETY OF WAYS. SOME FOSTER GRANDPARENTS WILL PROVIDE ONE-TO-ONE AND SMALL GROUP TUTORING TO IMPROVE STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, ATTENDANCE, AND ATTITUDES TOWARD EDUCATION. SUPPORTED STUDENTS WILL SEE IMPROVED OUTCOMES IN LITERACY AS WELL AS MATHEMATICS AS A RESULT OF THEIR INCREASED ENGAGEMENT. SOME FOSTER GRANDPARENTS WILL PROVIDE SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT TO IMPROVE STUDENTS' UNDERSTANDING OF TASK ORGANIZATION AND TO INCREASE TASK COMPLETION. FOSTER GRANDPARENTS WILL PROVIDE HELP TO STUDENTS WITH ASSIGNMENT PLANNING, PROBLEM-SOLVING, AND PROVIDE BEHAVIORAL REINFORCEMENT AT THE DIRECTION OF THE TEACHER. THOSE FOSTER GRANDPARENTS ASSIGNED TO CHILD CARE AND HEAD START PROGRAMS WILL SUPPORT PRE-LITERACY ACTIVITIES AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT THROUGH READING ALOUD, SUPPORTING TASK COMPLETION, ENCOURAGING COOPERATION, AND PROVIDING ONE-TO-ONE ATTENTION. FOSTER GRANDPARENTS WHO SUPPORT PRESCHOOL STUDENTS WILL INCREASE THEIR APTITUDE FOR SCHOOL READINESS AND BETTER PREPARE THEM FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS IN A K-12 SETTING. ALL FOSTER GRANDPARENTS WILL SERVE AS POSITIVE ROLE MODELS AND PROMOTE EACH CHILD'S DEVELOPMENT. THE PRIMARY FOCUS AREA IS EDUCATION. AT THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR GRANT, 1,020 DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN AND YOUTH WILL SHOW EVIDENCE OF INCREASED ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT AS EVALUATED BY THEIR TEACHERS. THESE STUDENTS WILL DEMONSTRATE EFFECTS SUCH AS IMPROVED ATTENDANCE, IMPROVED ATTITUDES TOWARDS EDUCATION, IMPROVED BEHAVIOR, POSITIVE CHANGE IN STUDENT SKILLS AND IMPROVED ORGANIZATION AND TASK COMPLETION. THESE IMPROVEMENTS WILL SUPPORT STRONGER RESULTS IN LITERACY AND MATHEMATICS. 95 YOUNG CHILDREN (UNDER 6) WHO ARE AT-RISK OR IN POVERTY WILL DEMONSTRATE GAINS IN SCHOOL READINESS. THESE MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN WILL DEMONSTRATE IMPROVED SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AGE-APPROPRIATE ACADEMIC ADVANCEMENT AND COGNITIVE AND MOTOR DEVELOPMENT. THE GAINS FOR MANY WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY STRONGER PRE-MATH AND PRE-LITERACY SKILLS. IN ADDITION, A TOTAL OF MORE THAN 1,300 CHILDREN AND YOUTH WILL BE POSITIVELY IMPACTED BY THE SERVICE AND SUPPORT OF A FOSTER GRANDPARENT IN THEIR CLASSROOM. THE CNCS FEDERAL INVESTMENT OF $517,577 WILL BE SUPPLEMENTED WITH $128,580 IN NON-FEDERAL RESOURCES REPRESENTING THE SUPPORT OF THE NEW HAMPSHIRE COMMUNITIES.