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Just like children can earn awards at the end of the school year, so can the classroom grandparents who mentor and tutor them throughout the year.

Kim Ross, an AmeriCorps Seniors volunteer who is in the Foster Grandparent Program at Catholic Charities, was recently honored with the inaugural Lyndon Drew Award for her service at Dodge Literacy Magnet.

Ross earns inaugural Lyndon Drew Award

Just like children can earn awards at the end of the school year, so can the classroom grandparents who mentor and tutor them throughout the year.

Kim Ross, an AmeriCorps Seniors volunteer who is in the Foster Grandparent Program at Catholic Charities, was recently honored with the inaugural Lyndon Drew Award for her service at Dodge Literacy Magnet.

The Lyndon Drew Award

Mackenzie Mace, program director, says the Drew Award was established to both recognize a program participant and honor the man for which the award is named.

“The award is presented in the spirit of Lyndon Drew, who spent 20 years as director of the Foster Grandparent Program at Catholic Charities, leading with a humble sense of dedication and unwavering support for schools, Foster Grandparents and students,” Mace said. Drew retired from Catholic Charities in August 2021.

The Drew Award recognizes a Catholic Charities’ Foster Grandparent who has demonstrated outstanding commitment to his or her volunteer service. “The award recognizes a volunteer who has made a deep impact at his or her school by exhibiting a deep commitment to supporting students academically, emotionally and socially,” Mace said.

Bringing joy to the classroom

Ross has been a Foster Grandparent for close to seven years. A teacher at Dodge Literacy Magnet said this of Ross: “I could not ask for a better Foster Grandma than Kim Ross! Anything I ask her to do with students she does. She really excels at helping students to learn. She has such good relationships with the students, staff and many of the parents. Kim brings joy to my classroom every day.”

The Foster Grandparent Program

The Foster Grandparent Program at Catholic Charities is an AmeriCorps Seniors grantee. The goal of the program is to support students academically, emotionally and socially. Income-eligible seniors can earn a tax-free stipend for the 15-40 hours of classroom work or training that they do each week. To be eligible, the senior must be 55 or older with a household income of less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

Foster Grandparents from Dodge Elementary.

Bringing joy to the classroom

Ross has been a Foster Grandparent for close to seven years. A teacher at Dodge Literacy Magnet said this of Ross: “I could not ask for a better Foster Grandma than Kim Ross! Anything I ask her to do with students she does. She really excels at helping students to learn. She has such good relationships with the students, staff and many of the parents. Kim brings joy to my classroom every day.”

The Foster Grandparent Program

The Foster Grandparent Program at Catholic Charities is an AmeriCorps Seniors grantee. The goal of the program is to support students academically, emotionally and socially. Income-eligible seniors can earn a tax-free stipend for the 15-40 hours of classroom work or training that they do each week. To be eligible, the senior must be 55 or older with a household income of less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level.

Foster Grandparents from Dodge Elementary.

Learn more about the Foster Grandparent Program

To learn more about becoming an AmeriCorps Senior volunteer as a Foster Grandparent at Catholic Charities for the 2022-2023 school year, call Mace at (316) 264-8344, ext. 1210, or Debi Hutcheson at ext. 1211.

Contact Us

We would like to hear from you! Call 316-264-8344 or Email us:

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St. Joseph Pastoral Center
437 North Topeka st.
Wichita. KS 67202-2431

(316) 264-8344

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Wichita is a 501(c)(3). All gifts are tax-deductible.

Need donation support?
316-264-8344 ext. 1262
giving@CatholicCharitiesWichita.org

Catholic Diocese of Wichita

Wichita Diocese

The Wichita Diocese covers 20,021 square miles and includes 25 counties in the southeast corner of the state. It is home to over 114,000 Catholics in 90 parishes.

Catholic Diocese of Wichita

Wichita Diocese

The Wichita Diocese covers 20,021 square miles and includes 25 counties in the southeast corner of the state. It is home to over 114,000 Catholics in 90 parishes.