A visit to Shettler with the AmeriCorps Foster Grandparents Program through Catholic Charities West Michigan a week or so ago proved to be a good thing so we took the show to Moon School to meet a few more of the remarkable people who make up the core of the volunteers who are the Foster Grand Parents of Muskegon and Oceana County.
Their job is "disguised" as being a classroom aid for teachers who are doing all they can to make sure our kids get the education they need, but the reality is that the are so much more. As we've heard story after story unfold from these remarkable people, the common theme is love. Simply put, the ability to simply give a little extra attention, maybe a wink or a hug is all it really takes to instill that little bit of confidence in a child to get past that mental block a hard word to read, or maybe it's a decision about the "right choice". Those years of patience and wisdom sure come in handy with the little ones, and there's no cost in sharing those things....just a little time.
Here's the thing. This is fun to see and hear the people involved share their experience, but they are doing this to invite you to be a part of it too! We are presenting this in partnership with Catholic Charities West Michigan because they need some more hands on deck who are willing to jump in and go in the lives of these teachers and kids. They have openings for 20 or more helpers in area schools and it's all over Muskegon and Oceana County! This is your chance to get involved and get into this incredible opportunity. It's a great benefit for the kids, but as you've seen between this and our group at Shettler in Fruitport, the rewards are really for those who get involved.
It's a lifetime of wisdom and compassion you're carrying. The greatest gift you can give will cost you nothing and the impact you leave will last for generations as that domino effect starts to play out with one act of kindness spilling over into another and on down the line. This is community safety net building at it's finest and if you have come from an upbringing that had a supply of faithfulness in it of any kind, it's not very hard to see that what where once called "missionaries" are now mostly called "granny" and they are friends and neighbors from right here at home taking care of our own. CLICK HERE and find out more about becoming a Foster Grand Parent today!
