KCRW: Preschoolers Gain Skills and Elders Find a “Sense of Purpose”

LOS ANGELES (March 21, 2017) — Jumpstart’s Los Angeles Community Corps Program was featured on local NPR affiliate, KCRW. While the majority of Jumpstart’s volunteers are college students, our Community Corps program offers an opportunity for adults in the community to make a lasting impact on a child’s life. Jumpstart’s Los Angeles Community Corps works with community organizations to recruit and engage adults 55+ years of age. Community Corps members implement the same proven curriculum and program as our College Corps members, but with an added element of intergenerational relationship building. Community Corps members often serve in the communities where they live, allowing them to foster deeper connections with the children and families they serve. Click here to learn more about Jumpstart Community Corps members.

Our Los Angeles Community Corps program currently serves in Boyle Heights, Los Angeles City, South Los Angeles, and Compton. Our program is supported by a grant from Senior Corps’ Foster Grandparent Program that allows us to provide our adult volunteers with a stipend to support their service.

Here’s an excerpt from KCRW’s story:

Joann in the classroom

“She’s not the teacher, but when 70-year-old Joann Priestly shows up at this preschool, she is well-prepared for each lesson. Priestly is a volunteer ‘foster grandma’ with a national program called Jumpstart, a nonprofit that trains adults to help close the kindergarten readiness gap among children in underserved communities. Every week, Priestly spends about four hours in the company of children–it’s brought new meaning to her life.”

Click here to listen to the full story.

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