Project Grant 21SFHSC001

AN ESTIMATED 65 UNDUPLICATED FOSTER GRANDPARENT VOLUNTEERS WILL SERVE IN OUR FOCUS AREAS OF GREENWOOD, ABBEVILLE AND SALUDA COUNTIES. OF THIS NUMBER, 65 OF THESE FOSTER GRANDPARENTS WILL BE PLACED IN OUTCOME ASSIGNMENTS. SOME OF THEIR ACTIVITIES WILL INCLUDE 1) ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL BEHAVIORS TO IMPROVE SCHOOL READINESS AND 2) TUTORING AND MENTORING TO HELP IMPROVE ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT AND SOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS. THE PRIMARY FOCUS OF THIS PROJECT IS TO PROVIDE ONE-ON-ONE MENTORING FOR DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN, AGES PRE-SCHOOL THROUGH 6TH GRADE, IN AN EFFORT TO IMPROVE SCHOOL READINESS AND K-12 SUCCESS AT EACH OF OUR PROPOSED VOLUNTEER STATIONS WITHIN THESE THREE COUNTIES. AT THE END OF THE THREE-YEAR GRANT CYCLE, WE EXPECT TO SEE IMPROVEMENTS IN ACADEMIC ENGAGEMENT IN 80% OF THE STUDENTS RECEIVING THE SERVICES THROUGH THE FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM HELD IN GREENWOOD, ABBEVILLE AND SALUDA COMMUNITIES. PIEDMONT AGENCY ON AGING IS CURRENTLY PROVIDING MEALS ON WHEELS, TRANSPORTATION, AND CONGREGATE DINING IN THE FOLLOWING THREE COUNTIES. OUR GOAL IN APPLYING FOR THE THREE-COUNTY GRANT IS TO START SMALL AND EXPAND LATER. WITH THE AGENCY HAVING STRONG TIES IN ALL THREE COMMUNITIES, IT WAS A NATURAL FIT TO EXPAND SERVICES TO ALL THREE COMMUNITIES IF POSSIBLE. BY EXPANDING TO 65 VOLUNTEERS WITHIN THESE THREE COUNTIES, IT WOULD ALLOW PIEDMONT AGENCY ON AGING TO DOUBLE THEIR FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM WITHOUT BECOMING OVERWHELMED. STARTING SMALL AND EXPANDING LATER WOULD ALLOW THE AGENCY TO DO A GOOD JOB BY GROWING THE INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES SLOWLY. ONCE INITIAL START-UP AS BEGUN AND IS GOING WELL, THE POTENTIAL TO EXPAND VOLUNTEER NUMBERS IN EACH COUNTY BASED ON NEED WOULD BE APPRECIATED IF POSSIBLE. PIEDMONT AGENCY HAS A STRONG DESIRE TO MOVE AN ALREADY WELL ESTABLISHED AND SUCCESSFUL FOSTER GRANDPARENT PROGRAM INTO OUR OTHER THREE SERVING AREAS. THIS IS AN EXCITING MOVE FOR US IF GIVEN THE OPPORTUNITY.