Growing together

Jun 30, 2025 By Paul Paterra 4 min read

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A cake marking six decades of Wesley Family Services’ Foster Grandparent Program

Courtesy of Wesley Family Services

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Lurline Cadogen accepts the Apple Award for her teacher, Brittany White, from Each One Teach One Learning Center.

Courtesy of Wesley Family Services

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At a recent luncheon celebrating the 60th anniversary of the foster grandparent program, volunteer Lynn Swan Sheppard of Point Breeze received the Directors Award.

Courtesy of Wesley Family Services

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Volunteers with the foster grandparent program were recognized recently at a luncheon at the Hilton Garden Inn, Southpointe.

Courtesy of Wesley Family Services

Linda Robinson loves children, and Wesley Family Services’ Foster Grandparent Program provides her with the chance to work with them.

“Working with children is incredibly rewarding because of the genuine joy and positive impact it allows,” she said. “I witness their growth, learn from a unique perspective and I’m happy that I’m making a lasting difference in their lives. It makes me happy to see that they grasp whatever you’re teaching them.”

The foster grandparent program was established in 1965 to provide those 55 and older with an opportunity to connect with children with special needs and in the community, serving as mentors, tutors and caregivers. It is funded through AmeriCorps, and locally sponsored by Wesley Family Services.

The 60th anniversary of the program was recently celebrated with a luncheon at the Hilton Garden Inn, Southpointe. More than 100 senior volunteers from Washington, Greene and Fayette counties were honored. The program was presented with a certificate of congressional recognition by a member of state Rep. Summer Lee’s staff.

“The foster grandparent program connects older adults with children in need,” explained Rebecca Maletto-Cornell, director of the program. “They provide mentorship and support while enriching the lives of both the volunteer and the youth, whether it comes to social skills or emotional support. We operate under the three famous words – help, guide and assist. That’s what our foster grandparents do, they help, guide and assist. They meet that child where they are and help them overcome any obstacle they may see from a teacher’s standpoint and allow them to be their best self.”

Robinson, 67, of Donora, has participated in the program for nine years.

“I work with the children, helping each child develop social skills,” Robinson said. “We are to provide guidance and encouragement to all children who need extra support. We help students learn important skills such as independence, self confidence and social skills. I also work with the teachers, enhancing academic skills.”

Foster grandparents receive a small stipend, and are partnered with public and private schools, Head Start programs, day cares, child development centers and after-school programs.

“It’s always in a classroom setting,” Maletto-Cornell said. “There’s always structure involved.”

Steven Smart, a teacher at Ringgold North Elementary School, became involved when he was at Monongahela Elementary Center. He works in conjunction with Robinson, or “Miss Linda,” as he called her.

“It’s been amazing to have the foster grandparents in my classroom,” Smart said. “It helps because there’s an extra adult in the room to work one-on-one with children who need extra help or extra attention with academics or behavior. It’s great for the grandparents to work in a school environment with so many children who love and care for them. It’s very rewarding. Miss Linda and I are very close. She’s almost like my own grandmother. It’s a beautiful thing.”

The program operates in six counties (Washington, Fayette, Greene, Allegheny, Beaver and Butler) in Southwestern Pennsylvania. Programs involved include Blueprints; Ringgold North and South Elementary schools; East End United Community Center and Asbury Preschool, both in Uniontown; Pathways, and California Area School District.

Children in the program range in age from birth to 21. Some foster grandparents will stay with the program for that long, or even longer

“Once they start, it becomes a calling,” Maletto-Cornell said. “Most of them say, ‘I don’t know what I’d do without it; it gave me a reason to get up every morning.’ It becomes an extension of family and becomes something they really look forward to.”

Maletto-Cornell added that many grandparents involved have seen some positive benefits as a result of their time with the kids.

“I have one grandpa who has lost a lot of weight because he’s moving,” she said.

The children, too, have benefited. Annual surveys chart the students’ progress and routinely the majority of the students improved.

“It’s that extended relationship they have with everyone involved in that classroom,” Maletto-Cornell said. “They learn from each other.”

Anyone who may be interested in becoming a foster grandparent may call 412-660-6841 or 412-660-7303.

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