NOT FOUND: grandparenting.jpgIn honor of National Grandparents Day, on Friday, September 17th, the Sacramento County Foster Grandparents
Program (FGP)brought 70 of their foster grandparents together for a time of fun, food and festivities to thank
them for their faithful service to the youth in Sacramento County. A wonderful lunch was catered and everyone
enjoyed the hula dancers with their historical story-telling through dance. The foster grandparents were given the
opportunity to join in the dancing. Program Director, Dennis Brodsky, even participated as a special guest dancer
during “Tiny Bubbles”.

Many of these foster grandparents have been volunteering for the program for years. Grandma Ora, for instance,
has been with the Sacramento County FGP for 32 years. She was a volunteer for 2 years prior to that with the
Chicago FGP. Before making her move from Chicago to Sacramento, she had to make sure that a foster grandparents
program was even offered here. Once she discovered that a program did indeed exist, she didn’t waste any time
making her move west. Since then, she has spent her more than 3 decades volunteering in what is now the Twin
Rivers Unified School District with five children from different classes. She works with them one-on-one, helping
them with their reading. Grandma Ora has always loved to read and feels that it is one of the most important things
that children can learn. Grandma Ora is 92 – or as she likes to say, “I’m 29 flipped around! You are older than I am. I
was just born first.” She loves life and loves spending time reading with her foster grandkids. She reads every book
before giving them to her students. She also loves to dance. Grandma Ora was recognized for her long years of
serving as a volunteer in this program by being selected as one of L’Oreal’s Women of Worth 2009 where she was
flown to New York and treated in style and given the opportunity to dance the night away. She always wanted to be
a school teacher, so being a Foster Grandparent at Twin Rivers Unified School District is the perfect fit for her. Her
love for life just shines through when she talks about the work that she’s doing.

Grandma Lennie who is 85 years old has been with the FGP for 20 years. She works with first and fourth grade
children tutoring in reading and math. She really enjoys the work that she does and is happy to know that what
she does is making a lasting mark on the children. Grandma Lennie was awarded the President’s Volunteer
Service Award (PVSA) Lifetime Achievement Award for her more than 4,000 hours of volunteer service. She was
also the Molina Healthcare Community Champion award winner in the education category for volunteering.

There are 104 foster grandparents in the Sacramento County program that volunteer at 61 sites in our area including
not only schools but also hospitals, teen mother centers, juvenile detention centers, etc. Grandma Joan, for instance,
volunteers her time at Shriners Hospital and UC Davis Medical center. She works in the Pediatric ICU department and
feeds the premature babies. She’ll be 75 here shortly and has been working with the babies at the hospitals for 15
years – so long that most of the doctors even call her “Grandma”. Prior to being with the hospitals, Grandma Joan
volunteered at juvenile hall. She says that when she turns 80 she might consider slowing down a bit. “I have a young
mind,” she says, “but my body’s getting older.”

Grandma Leticia is the only school counselor at Cameron Ranch School. She’s been there for 12 years through the
FGP, and was a full time counselor in Chicago prior to moving to CA. She loves what she does, and she like all of the
foster grandparents were wonderful and it was a pleasure to spend a few hours with them. They all agree that it’s
nice to know they are making a difference. As Grandma Ora so aptly pointed out, “These children are our world
tomorrow. Without a change, where are we going to be?”

The Sacramento County Foster Grandparent Program is sponsored by Sacramento County Department of Human
Assistance and funded by the Corporation for National and Community Service. To get more information about
the program visit their web site at http://dhaweb.saccounty.net/senior/fosterGP.htm or give them a call at
916.875.3569.