In 1978, National Grandparents Day was established by founder, Marian McQuade of West Virginia, who sought to encourage the young people in her community to understand how important older people have been to U.S. and world history.
She also wanted them to “adopt” a grandparent, whether their own, or a senior in the community without immediate family nearby, for a lifetime.
While there is one day set aside to observe National Grandparents Day, for more than 40 years, the Foster Grandparent Program has been serving children with exceptional needs in our community year-round.
Foster Grandparents serve children who are physically and intellectually disabled, visual or hearing impaired, and emotionally or physically abused. They assist in the development of children's motor and learning skills, serve as mentors and tutors, and help to restore and reinforce a sense of community and family values.
In 2017, 108 volunteers performed 77,574 hours of service to the community through the City of Jacksonville’s Senior Services Foster Grandparent Program. At market value (average $22.41 per hour), this service is equivalent to more than $1.75 million annually. Volunteer Foster Grandparents are assigned to Head Start programs, day care centers and public and private schools.
Learn more about he Foster Grandparent Program