National Association of Foster Grandparent Program Directors

Welcome!

Foster Grandparent Program Celebrating 45 Years - 1965-2010

Follow this link to order your 45th Commemorative Pin from GoodDeed.org

Click here to see the commemorative pin.

NAFGPD January 2010 Update:

Happy New Year, weve made it to 2010! I believe this is going to be a dynamic year for the Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) as we celebrate throughout the year the milestones of 45 years of intergenerational mentoring as well as focusing on the bright future of FGP.

The NAFGPD Board of Directors will be meeting February 27 March 4 in Washington, DC with Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) executive staff and Senior Corps staff as well as sharing impacts FGPs are making in Congressional districts. So please take a few minutes to contact your NAFGPD Cluster Representative and share your programs successes or share any concerns that you feel should to be addressed. We want to serve you!

Here are updates on activities:

FGP 45^th Anniversary Recognition Items - T-shirts, long and short sleeve and sweat shirts are available as well as beautiful sparkling commemorative lapel pins and key chains. We worked hard to keep the prices low, you cant find better recognition gifts at these prices. Check them out at www.nafgpd.org.
Congressional Reception - NAFGPD and Van Scoyoc and Associates will host a reception in Washington on March 3^rd. We will recognize 45 years of achievements and honor several individuals that have been supporters and friends over the years and special awards will be presented.
Support Letters - Board members were asked to bring support letters from their communities on behalf of FGP to the meeting. NAFPGD members will be asked to collect and submit their support letters in the near future, so please put that on your to do list.
New Atlantic Cluster Representative I have appointed Lynna Carnegie from New York City to carry out the vacant 2010 term. Please join me in welcoming Lynna, she will be an excellent advocate for the Atlantic programs and will be a great partner to Lauri Jewell.
2011 Appropriations CNCS invited Senior Corps directors to participate in a conference call on Monday, Feb. 1, 2010, 2:00-2:45 concerning the Presidents Budget. Please keep in mind that Congress determines the final budget and we will advocate for the $3.00 stipend increase as authorized in the 2010 Serve America Act. We are also advocating to CNCS to equalize the federal amount award per VSY due to the increased cost of program operations over the years.
Peer Mentoring Project In the third year of operation, we currently have 130 new program directors matched with 83 mentors. This project has proven to be exceptional and a wonderful experience for all involved. It is well received by CNCS, State offices and Senior Corps directors. If you are a new FGP project director or a seasoned director and would like to participate, please contact Mary Louise Schweikert, program manager at gschweik@sunlink.net.

REMINDER: On Monday, February 1, President Obama will release his budget request for Fiscal Year 2011. CNCS will hold a conference call on February 1, 2010 to brief grantees about the President's budget request for the Corporation and its programs. Each Senior Corps program is encouraged to participate on the call from 2:00 pm - 2:45 EST. Call-In Number: 888-889-5009 Participant passcode: 9984412

Take care and keep up the great work you are doing in your communities.

Warmest regards,

Sherry Black, President

NAFGPD UPDATE:

November, 2009

Greetings to members of the National Association of Foster Grandparent Program Directors. I hope all of you are doing well and are staying healthy&Flu season is going to be challenging for our volunteers and for our programs. To help you to stay abreast of program changes and opportunities, we hope the information provided below will be beneficial to you.

Appropriations President Obama has signed a continuing resolution effective through December 18. Congress has sent the President five of the 12 annual appropriations bills. Work on the FY 2010 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill has not been completed. The Foster Grandparent Program is funded in the Senate Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill at $111,269,000 and is funded at $110,996,000 in the House FY2010 Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill. The Administrations FY 2010 Budget Request for FGP is 110,996,000. Please support the Senate funding level.

Reauthorization The Serve America Act now authorizes FGP to serve children having special or exceptional needs or with conditions or circumstances identified as limiting their academic, social, or economic development. (Previously, only authorized to serve children having special or exceptional needs.)

White House Conference Call on Seniors and Health Reform- NAFGPD participated on the White House conference call regarding seniors and Health Reform. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius urged participants to encourage senior citizens to visit www.healthreform.gov or www.whitehouse.gov to learn more about health reform policy and how it will affect them. The healthreform.gov site has easy to access information and even a brief quiz that individuals can take to find out how health reform will effect them. Please share through your in-service meetings.

2010 Membership NAFGPD is THE national association for Foster Grandparent Program Directors and supporters. We are membership driven, your issues and concerns are our priority! Since 1971 NAFGPD has worked to preserve the integrity of FGP and seek adequate funding. We are focused, we set our strategic plans in motion until they are achieved. We are successful, we have a professional Board of Directors and a well respected and high profile representative in Washington, DC. Just over the past 10 years alone, we successfully increased FGP appropriations by $43.579 million for stipend and administrative cost increases. Go to www.nafgpd.org and download your membership form today. Dues are still $100.00 annually, a bargain compared to the benefits received.

Board Elections - New NAFGPD Officers will take office at the Feb/March 2010 Board meeting: Sherry Black President (final term) ; Denise Nelsen Vice President; Kristen Tracy Secretary and Connie Stewart Treasurer.

January 1, 2010 December 31, 2011 Cluster Representative and Alternate nominations/elections have closed in the Atlantic, Southern, and Pacific ClustersNominations are still open in North Central and Southwest Clusters. Results will be provided in the December Update.

FGPs 45^th Anniversary Nationwide Art Contest - is underway, this contest will enable your foster grandparents and the children and youth they serve the opportunity to capture the essence of their relationship in a colorful work of art (contest is not open to the general public and void where prohibited). Entries must be received by January 30, 2010. Three (3) prizes will be awarded and the art work displayed on www.nafgpd.org. We plan to highlight the art work on various forms of display in celebration of the 45^th Anniversary of the Foster Grandparent Program.

Opportunities:

Through the Serve America Act, FGPs will be eligible to apply through the State Commissions for Encore Service Program Funds and Disability Grants when funding becomes available.
On Grants.gov learn how nonprofit organizations can find and apply for federal grants through 26 agencies. Participate in an on-line webinar orientation about the process. 787 billion dollars were appropriated for the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, only 47.6% of funds have been awarded.
Are your foster grandparents mentoring children of prisoners in a federal, state or tribal prison? Sign-up to be a provider to receive $900 per volunteer match lasting 12 months. Contact Malsoonsauerman@yahoo.com.
Provide your input, CNCS Office of Public Affairs will announce the opportunity for public comment on Senior Corps rulemaking in the near future on issues such as the 80/20 rule, education awards, and Trust funds; let your voice be heard.
New project directors may contact their CNCS State office and request a mentor through the Peer to Peer Mentoring Program or contact the program manager Mary Louise Schweikert at gschweik@sunlink.net, and receive the professional guidance of a trained seasoned director.

On behalf of the NAFGPD Board of Directors, we wish everyone a very

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

July 2009

NAFGPD UPDATE & SENATE APPROPRIATIONS ACTION

NAFGPD held a Pacific Cluster meeting for attendees during the National Conference on Volunteering and Service in San Francisco, it was great to see acquaintances and meet several new directors as well. We shared information on the Peer to Peer Mentoring Program, the partnership with MENTOR, discussed possible partnership with League of Women Voters, gave an overview of plans to celebrate FGPs 45^th Anniversary during 2010 and the National Volunteer Conference (previously known as the FGP Woody Cooper Conference for the foster grandparents) that will be held in either Chicago, IL or Kansas City, KS. More detailed information forthcoming.

Next year the National Conference on Volunteering and Service will be held in New York City, June 28 30, 2010, hope most of you will make plans to attend. NAFGPD Special Events Committee is busy planning several celebrations for FGPs 45^th Anniversary throughout 2010 and we will definitely have a celebration in New York City!

Overall, the conference plenary sessions were very good and informative. During one of the sessions, they allowed Q&A and a Senior Corps director posed a question to the Chairman of the CNCS Board&Is CNCS going to ask for additional funding for our programs? His concise response was&it will be up to you, the program directors to get Congress to provide funding. Therefore, its up to each of us to accept the responsibility to become active advocates in order to maintain the integrity and seek adequate funding for Foster Grandparent Programs.

Last month NAFGPD sent out an alert asking each of you to call your Congressmen/women in support of FGP. We sincerely thank you for all of your calls and e-mails. The House Labor-HHS-Education appropriations subcommittee is scheduled to mark-up a bill July 10th. Once the details of the mark-up become available we will let you know.

Now, Senate Appropriations Action is Needed:

We expect that the Senate Labor-HHS-Education appropriations subcommittee could mark-up on or around July 20th . Therefore, we would like you to take a few minutes next week to call your Senators and ask him/her to show their support for the Foster Grandparent program by asking the Senate Appropriations Committee to provide at least $131.871 million for FGP in FY2010. These calls should be completed by July 17, 2009.

IMPORTANT: If your Senator is one of the subcommittee members listed at the end of this message, your calls and emails are vital. I recommend that in addition to a phone call, you also send an e-mail.

FGP Talking Points

Ø Introduce yourself, state where your program is located and what areas you serve.

Ø Respectfully request that your Senator contact the Senate Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and/or Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-MS) in support of critical funding needed for the FGP program by asking that the subcommittee recommend at least $131.871 million in funding for FGP.

Ø Point out that the last time FGPs in the field realized any increases at all to cover the increased costs of doing businessespecially in the area of transportation costs was in FY 2005, when programs received an administrative cost increase of less than 1%.

Ø FGP face considerable stress in covering the rising costs of administering and maintaining quality programs. This situation is compounded by the current recession during which programs are in jeopardy of losing sponsors and raising local dollars is increasingly difficult.

Ø The NAFGPD funding proposal for FY 2010 would:

1. Generate opportunities for some 1,386 new low-income senior volunteers to contribute 1,446,984 hours of service annually to nearly 6,000 additional children with special needs through competitive PNS expansion grants to existing FGPs.

2. Provide a .35 cent stipend increase that would raise the stipend from $2.65 an hour to $3.00 an hour. Income eligible volunteers have not received a stipend increase since 2001.

3. Provide a small administrative cost increase for all programs to help cover the staggering increases in administrative costs each is experiencing. (see snapshot below)

Ø Also thank him/her for his/her support of FGP in the past (if he/she has been supportive), and invite him/her to visit your program to see the great work your Foster Grandparents are conducting. Many Senators and their staffs will be traveling to their home states for the month-long August recess. Reach out to your local district offices and set-up meetings.

Ø Conclude again by respectfully requesting that your Senator contact the Senate Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee Chairman Tom Harkin (D-IA) and/or Ranking Member Thad Cochran (R-MS) in support of critical funding needed for the FGP program by asking that the subcommittee recommend at least $131.871 million in funding for FGP.

Additional Points

The Administrations FY 2010 Budget Request for FGP is 110.996 million, which is an increase of $1.9 million over the FY 2009 enacted level. NAFGPD was glad to see the new Administration request an INCREASE for FGP rather than the proposed DECREASES recommended for FGP in the past. Nonetheless, at least $131.871 million in FY 2010 is the level of funding needed to ensure quality FGP programs can continue and to meet the needs of the volunteers serving.

NAFGPD FY 2010 Appropriations Request Snapshot:

(Dollars in Millions)

Activity	NAFGPD Request For FY 2010
FGP
*Grants to programs in the field*
Continuing grants	108.999
Administrative cost increase	4.648
PNS expansions	7.624
Stipend increase	10.600
Subtotal, grants to programs	131.871
Recruitment and Retention Grants.gov/eGrants support Training &Technical Assistance	0
Total FGP Budget Authority	131.871

As always, thanks for your help and support of FGP. Your service is greatly appreciated. Should you have any questions please contact your cluster representatives.

Senate Labor-HHS-Education Subcommittee Members:

MAJORITY

Chairman: Senator Tom Harkin (Chairman) (IA)

Senator Daniel Inouye (HI)

Senator Herb Kohl (WI)

Senator Patty Murray (WA)

Senator Mary Landrieu (LA)

Senator Richard Durbin (IL)

Senator Jack Reed (RI)

Senator Mark Pryor (AR)

Senator Arlen Specter (PA)

MINORITY

Ranking Member: Thad Cochran (MS)
Senator Judd Gregg (NH)

Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (TX)

Senator Richard Shelby (AL)

Senator Lamar Alexander (TN)

Click Here for a February 2009 - Legislative Committee Update.

NAFGPD UPDATE - 1^st qtr.

January 2009

Dear NAFGPD Members and Supporters:

2008 has been a year of action for NAFGPD and a lot has been accomplished on behalf of Foster Grandparent Programs and the services our program provides; however, we still have our work cut out for us in 2009. Here is a recap of accomplishments in our last quarter of 2008 and current behind the scenes advocacy efforts:

NAFGPD was in the forefront at the National Community Service Conference in Atlanta. Board members facilitated workshops, membership networked in the NAFGPD Hospitality Suite sponsored by our newest Friends of FGP, Secure Horizons (partnerships are available locally as well). We had an outstanding time at the NAFGPD national meeting and reception; if you didn't attend you missed a great evening.

In December we sent a letter to Senator Harkin thanking him for his leadership on the Senate subcommittee on LHHS appropriations and support of FGP FY 2009 funding at 108 million. If you recall, the Administration's proposed FY 2009 Budget Request would have slashed FGP down to 68 million. A similar letter was sent to Congressman Obey who chairs the House LHHS appropriations subcommittee. We expect work on the remaining FY 2009 appropriations bills will be completed with the passage of an Omnibus appropriations bill, however, Congress is also currently focused on passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

Peer-to-Peer Mentoring Program's first year was a huge task but a wonderful success thanks to the management team. The grant was renewed for a second year and we plan to engage a total of 85 trained Mentors nationwide who will be matched with a total of 170 new Senior Corps project directors. If you would like to participate as a Mentor or a Mentee (a new senior corps director), please contact your Corporation state office, the benefits for all involved are wonderful.

Partnering with Voices for National Service (VNS) on the culmination of the Serve America Act and the Encore Service Act that would increase FGP funding to $228 million. The Encore Service Act was introduced by Senator Dodd at the Service Nation Summit..... NAFGPD supports the Encore Service Act. This increase would address the inequity in funding across the nation and restore the infrastructure of programs that have been eroded by cuts and no increases....... would provide a stipend increase to $3.00.... provide funds or PNS grants for expansion of existing programs and provide for new programs in un-served areas. We also introduced recommendations to CNCS to wave the 80/20 regulations during economic down-turns.

In January, NAFGPD and NARSVP sent a letter to President-elect Barack Obama that described how an investment in these programs in economic recovery legislation will aid in our nation's overall economic recovery efforts (members should have received a copy from your Cluster Rep.).

Partnership with MENTOR, Inc. first phase is going well, fourteen FGP's that are approved providers will receive more than $200,000.00 for their programs that are mentoring children of prisoners. We were told that information on the second phase regarding matches effective Oct. 2008 will be provided after the first of the year, we know that more NAFGPD members will respond when the invitation is extended and we are patiently waiting to learn about the year 2 requirements.

NAFGPD extended an invitation to the Chairman of the CNCS Board of Directors to work with NAFGPD to support all CNCS programs, but more specifically FGP and Senior Corps and to recognize the important contributions of senior volunteers to National Service.

2009 NAFGPD membership invitations were distributed. I encourage you to join NAFGPD in working for Foster Grandparent Programs in 2009, an exciting year that will be filled with challenges. Also, this is a national election year to elect new Board officers. Your professional membership must be received on or before 3/31/09 in order for you to be eligible to nominate, run for an office or vote in this election. Become a part of an organization that truly speaks with a unified voice for Foster Grandparent Programs.

I am hopeful that 2009 is going to be a fantastic opportunity for our programs; however, with the economic situation who knows&whether good or bad it will take all FGP's working together to address the needs for our programs to serve the low income seniors and special needs children in our communities.

The Board will be meeting March 1-4, 2009 in Washington, DC and I invite you to contact your NAFGPD Cluster Representative or Alternate to share your concerns and or ideas to improve the management of FGP's.

Warmest regards,

Sherry Black, NAFGPD President