AmeriCorps Seniors Funding at Risk: Foster Grandparents and Senior Companions Serve Over 1,100 in Local Counties
(Greenville, MI) – As federal AmeriCorps Seniors funding faces proposed cuts, programs that offer critical support to children, aging adults, and caregivers across Ionia, Mecosta, Montcalm, and Osceola counties are in jeopardy. EightCAP’s Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Programs have long provided meaningful, life-changing connections in local schools and homes—and their absence would leave a significant void in the community.
In 2024, 878 children were supported through intergenerational programming by Foster Grandparents across 33 classrooms, where older adults volunteered over 40,447 hours to mentor, tutor, and encourage young learners. At the same time, 44 Senior Companions served 231 in-home clients and 23 nursing home residents, contributing 24,055 hours of support and companionship—helping older adults live independently and reducing isolation.
“These volunteers are more than helpers—they’re lifelines,” said Stephanie Rockafellow, Foster Grandparent/Senior Companion Program Director. “They build trust, bridge generations, and provide dignity and care where it’s needed most.”
Lives Changed on Both Sides
Since 1965, Foster Grandparent volunteers—older adults who are income-eligible and age 55 or better—have made a difference in classrooms across the country. They offer struggling students’ encouragement, praise, patience, and the steady presence of someone who believes in them. The impact extends both ways.
Joan T., a local Foster Grandparent, shared:
“I became a Foster Grandparent because I felt an emptiness in my life. I knew I needed something to fill it, and that’s when I heard about the program. It was just what I needed. I now have a purpose—helping children. When I had to stay home to care for my husband for a while, the children were so happy to see me when I returned. One student said, ‘Grandma, don’t leave us again!’ Being a Foster Grandparent has blessed me in ways I could never explain.”
The Senior Companion Program, established nationally in 1968 and brought to EightCAP in 2001, helps older adults facing loneliness, depression, or difficulties with daily tasks like errands, bills, or attending appointments. The program allows volunteers—also 55+ and income-eligible—to help their peers while improving their own well-being.
Pat W., a Senior Companion for 18 years, said:
“That was one of the best decisions I’ve made. This program has changed the lives of so many of the clients I’ve had the pleasure of being with. Their loneliness just disappears—we end up being their family. Not only do our clients’ lives change, but ours do too. It gives us a reason to feel like we matter. I pray this program never ends.”
A Call to Protect What Works
In rural communities where support systems are already stretched thin, these programs are irreplaceable. The benefits ripple far beyond the hours logged—volunteers report improved physical and mental health, stronger social ties, and a renewed sense of purpose.
Without continued AmeriCorps Seniors funding, local children could lose access to consistent classroom support, and hundreds of isolated seniors could be left without the personal connection that helps them stay safe and engaged.
EightCAP joins organizations across Michigan and the U.S. in urging Congress to protect and preserve the AmeriCorps Seniors programs.
To learn more about EightCAP’s senior volunteer programs, go to www.8cap.org.