Foster grandparent program ends, opens new opportunities

SEELEY LAKE - Pearl Hawkins was devastated when she learned Missoula Aging Services was discontinuing the Foster Grandparent program Jan. 31. Now 80-years-old, Hawkins was the longest-serving MAS foster grandparent in Missoula County working with the Seeley Lake Elementary preschool for 18 years. Hawkins was nearly in tears as the SLE staff hugged her and told her they would figure out how to keep her. As of Jan. 3, SLE hired her to continue her work in the preschool as a paraprofessional.

"During her role as a foster grandparent she supported our program in the same way a teacher's aid would," said SLE Superintendent Josh Gibbs. "With the foster grandparent program gone, we still needed the support in the classroom. After discussing it with Pearl, it was decided to offer her a position to support this program." 

MAS administered the AmeriCorps Senior programs, including the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs, for nearly 40 years. Since MAS has its roots in these programs, MAS Executive Director Lisa Sheppard said this was not an easy decision.

However she feels with volunteerism at the core of many of MAS services, by stepping away from the AmeriCorps Seniors programs MAS can better serve its volunteers and community partners.

"We appreciate all AmeriCorps does nationally to try and support volunteerism but for us going forward we really wanted to have more flexibility, more local control, be able to create volunteer opportunities in our communities based on their very diverse interests and also try and work with our community partners to meet our very specific needs," Sheppard said. "We are ready to move in a different direction that lets us do what makes sense for our communities."

The Foster Grandparent program is a volunteer opportunity to help adults age 55 or older stay active and serve children and youth in their community. The program, along with the RSVP and Senior Companion, has been offered through the National Senior Corps for more than 50 years. 

Sheppard said AmeriCorps Senior grants are governed by statutory procedures that allow volunteers to be paid a tax-free stipend. However, MAS must follow strict regulations. Due to the requirements, only a small number of volunteers qualify for the program and the stipend based on factors including income, minimum hours per week, limited duties and reporting requirements.

"It was just a lot of things and it ties our hands in some ways," Sheppard said. "We can't do things they way we want to do them and we can't be as efficient as we want to be."

Ten years ago, MAS Volunteer Services Program Manager Ria Overholt said the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs each had more than 40 active volunteers. Now, they have the same number of volunteers applying with MAS, however they are choosing different opportunities. Currently MAS has 14 foster grandparents and 16 senior companions.

 "The volunteers are coming out of the woodwork and we haven't moved the needle at all on the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion programs," Overholt said. "I think that has really pushed us to take a look at this."

Overholt said what volunteers want has changed since COVID. Overholt thinks two main reasons for the shift away from the AmeriCorps programs are income privacy and more flexibility in the schedule that does not require a yearlong commitment and minimum weekly hours. 

These requirements have never been an issue for Hawkins - a single woman living primarily on Social Security benefits. She worked more than 20 hours a week in the preschool. She read to students, helped with art projects, played with them, led small groups, developed and taught place-based science lessons and offered assistance as needed. 

For Hawkins, the Foster Grandparent program not only allowed her to serve an active, purposeful role in the community, but the financial benefits were also helpful. 

Foster Grandparents who met income guidelines and serve a minimum of 15 hours per week earned a tax-free hourly stipend of $3 per hour. This paid Hawkins rent. She received two free meals a day, five days a week, which minimized her personal food costs. MAS also provided mileage reimbursement and she could earn paid time off.

"It is a great program for seniors and Missoula Aging Services has done a lot for me," Hawkins said. "I looked forward to working with the kids. They love me and I love them. It just helps me get out and helps keep my mind going." 

After a lot of research, Sheppard said there was no way that MAS could offer a stipend without impacting their income status unless they remained with AmeriCorps. Knowing that this would affect their volunteers, MAS reached out to the foster grandparents and senior companions to gather their input, explore hiring opportunities, research other work opportunities and offer a benefit screening. Overholt said all of the volunteers either retired or found other opportunities including being hired by the schools or MAS or continued volunteering without the stipend.

"Ria offered to find me something since [MAS] didn't want to lose me," Hawkins said. "But I want to work in the school with the kids and I don't want to change positions."

At a special board meeting Dec. 22, the SLE School Board approved hiring Hawkins as a paraprofessional starting Jan. 3. She now earns $12.90 per hour and will continue in the preschool.

 "I was so excited. It is good to know that they all want me to stay at the school," Hawkins said. "I'm a part of that school. My kids went there and I want to stay."

"Hiring Pearl as our employee has allowed us to run our transitional kindergarten and preschool smoothly. She has been an asset to our District for many years and we wanted to continue to have her as a staff member," Gibbs said. "MAS Foster program was a great program. It is unfortunate that the program ended because we saw a lot of great things from this program. We are just glad that we were able to keep Grandma Pearl as a part of that classroom."

Overholt said there still many MAS volunteer opportunities within the schools as well as other community volunteer opportunities. While anyone can volunteer through MAS, their focus is on recruiting older adults. Volunteers receive benefits including mileage reimbursement, learning opportunities and supplemental insurance.

"We are excited, hopeful and enthusiastic about the direction we are going," Overholt said. "We really want to help people create and connect to those volunteer positions that they will love and will have a big impact on our communities."

"We don't want people to perceive this as something that is going away but more as something really great is coming along," Sheppard added. "In our minds and our intent is to do more and to do better."

For more information call 406-728-7682 or visit the MAS website at https://missoulaagingservices.org/