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The Foster Grandparent Program, sponsored by the Greater Erie Community Action Committee, is looking for adults age 55 and older to mentor Erie youth.

Foster grandparents are placed in a school, Head Start or other educational facility. They help three to five special needs students with their daily learning tasks.

Participating foster grandparents receive a federal stipend. They volunteer between 20 and 40 hours per week for at least nine months a year.

Foster grandparents must pass a physical, Child Abuse History Clearance and Criminal History Clearance. The clearances are paid for by the Foster Grandparent Program.

Volunteers must have an annual income at 200 percent of the poverty line (for example, for a single person household, that would be $22,340 a year.)

The Foster Grandparent Program is part of the Senior Service Corps and is funded, in part, by the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Photo courtesy of the Greater Erie Community Action Committee

Are you retired? Looking for a way to give back?

The Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), run by the Greater Erie Community Action Committee (GECAC), matches the skills of retired people with the needs of community organizations across the Erie area.

GECAC only asks that participants “possess interest and ability in the volunteer task.”

RSVP volunteers may tutor children, pack items for food assistance programs or assist health screenings for other seniors.

To be eligible to participate, volunteers must be age 55 or older and an Erie County resident. Volunteers can donate up to 40 hours of their time a week.

To get involved, contact Ron Howze at the GECAC by telephone at 459-4581 ext. 463 or via e-mail at rhowze@gecac.org.

Photo courtesy of GECAC

A former colleague alerted me to an article on GOOD.is asking its readers to research the people and organizations behind the issues about which they are passionate.

The task was part of GOOD.is’s #30daysofGOOD campaign.

The posting encouraged readers to:

Remember, no act is too small. Some people just need a ride to receive cancer treatment because they can’t afford a taxi. Some kids need a little help after school to get up to reading level or to understand that one math problem that’s holding them back. Someone in your neighborhood needs you.

And lucky for me (and you), it provided websites to bring those organizations to readers at the click of a mousepad.

I started with the Volunteer links. There weren’t any volunteer-related Meet-ups in Erie. The volunteer network HandsOn didn’t have any local listings. But Get Involved!, a volunteerism search engine, had some great ideas.

Here are a few as part of this week’s volunteer round-up:

1. Spread a little warmth

Project Linus of Northwest Pennsylvania needs homemade blankets to give to seriously ill or traumatized children.

Project Linus asks that blankets are quilted,  crochet, knitted, fleece or flannel, made of new materials and machine washable. Colors should be kid-friendly.

For more information, contact nwpa@projectlinus.org.

2. Counsel about Medicare

The Greater Erie Community Action Committee is looking for volunteers for its APPRISE Medicare counseling program.

Volunteers are trained to answer questions about Original Medicare, Medicaid, Medigap, long term care insurance and preventive care and have access to state and federal information and resources.

Interested? Contact APPRISE Coordinator, Gertrude Simmons at 459-4581 ext. 494.

3. Share the story of the Goodell Gardens

Docents at the Goodell Gardens give visitors walking tours of the grounds at the Edinboro historical homestead.

Volunteers will receive training on the history of the grounds and plants and recent flowerbed additions.

Hours range from two to six per week. Volunteers must be at least 15 years old.

Learn more at http://www.goodellgardens.org.

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Photo courtesy of GOOD.is