OUR MISSION

“Our mission is to bridge and enrich the generations by fostering intergenerational understanding, communication and cooperation between the generations.”

ABOUT US

Volunteer Grandparents is a non-profit organization aiming to create and strengthen intergenerational relationships and enriching the lives of seniors, children, and families. For over 45 years, Volunteer Grandparents has been dedicated to being a leader and advocate of intergenerational bonds among youth and seniors in the Metro Vancouver area of British Columbia. Our programs are instrumental in linking low-income, underprivileged children without the immediate presence of grandparents with local senior volunteers. Our volunteers provide families and the community with support and encouragement by sharing their skills, knowledge and experience.

OUR PROGRAMS AND BURSARY

Family Match Program

The Family Match Program matches volunteers with families who have children between the ages of 3 to 14 years old and who do not have accessible grandparents. The program is designed to meet the social and emotional needs of older adults and families. The emphasis is on the creation of long term extended family relationships. The program has been providing seniors with the opportunity to be an important member of a family, enabling them to share time, love, skills and life experiences, while offering families the support, love and wisdom of caring seniors. Click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer or registering your family for our Family Match Program.

School Grandparent Program

The School Grandparent Program provides volunteers for assignments in elementary schools throughout the Lower Mainland. It began as a pilot project in 1996, in response to a lack of opportunities for young and old to relate in an increasingly age-segregated society. The pilot project was a resounding success. Beyond fostering intergenerational communication and cooperation, the program demonstrated a significant benefit to educators. The volunteers enjoyed the chance to share skills, knowledge and experience while providing a valuable community service. Volunteer Grandparents works in partnership with educators to develop, place and support Volunteers in the School Grandparent Program. Click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer or registering your school for our School Grandparent Program.

Ambassador Program

You can help us fill a void in a child’s life by promoting our programs at fun community events throughout the summer. If you are over the age of 50, believe in the importance of grandparent connections and you want to meet new people, share your skills and have a positive impact in your community, then this important role is a good fit for you. Click here to learn more about becoming a volunteer for our Ambassador Program.

Florio Bursary

Created and generously donated by Mary and Paul Florio, this unique bursary program enhances the Family Match Program. Once a year, matched volunteers in the Family Match Program are given the opportunity to apply for the Florio Bursary on behalf of their grandchild. Bursary funds allow their grandchild to participate in exciting classes and activities, such as piano lessons, ski lessons, horseback riding lessons, and special camps. Click here to learn more about the Florio Bursary.

Letters to Seniors

In the summer of 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, ensuring our volunteers and their communities were supported and feeling connected was our top priority. This program was designed to meet the needs of the community and bring some joy to the lives of seniors. This new initiative involves supporting isolated seniors within care facilities by sending cheerful messages and drawings created by volunteers of all ages. Another component of the program involves youth and seniors becoming pen-pals, sending letters back and forth. Our hope for the program is to generate new bonds between youth and seniors within the Burnaby community. We want to acknowledge the United Way for generously awarding us a grant for our Bridging the Generations: Socially Connected Youth project. We hope that this pilot project can further become part of our programs so we can facilitate more intergenerational relationships. Click here for our latest updates on the Letters to Seniors program.

Champion a Family Match

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