Support UPO's Foster Grandparents Program

A longtime DC resident and participant in UPO's Foster Grandparent Program, Grandma Smith shares a home with her daughter. And every morning, the two head out the door together: her daughter to work, and Grandma Smith to volunteer with young children at a local early learning center.

"It gives me purpose," she said. "I look forward to getting up in the morning, leaving home to meet these babies. They just brighten my day."

Instead of watching her daughter head off and feeling left behind, Grandma Smith starts her day with purpose too — surrounded by children who adore her and teachers who value her presence.

"I don't think I would know how to survive being home all day long by myself," she shared. "That's why I volunteer."

Her doctor agrees. "My cardiologist told me, 'Ms. Smith, the best thing you could've done when you retired was to keep doing something, keep active." She smiled. "He calls me his prize patient."

Through her role, Grandma Smith has found something else too: friendship. The Foster Grandparent Program has helped her build a community of peers, purpose, and connection.

With your support, over 111 seniors across Washington, D.C. are doing the same — serving in early learning classrooms, helping young children learn to read, express emotions, and grow with confidence.

Your donations make it possible to keep this powerful program going — and to expand it to reach even more classrooms and elders seeking connections. When you give, you're not just supporting child development. You're helping build bridges between generations and bringing joy to lives that still have so much to give.