Stepping into the classroom in New Orleans, the group of two-year olds was small, but their energy seemed limitless. Much of their attention was centered on 88-year-old Bobbie Bridges, who was sitting down, patiently spending time with each child as they brought her toys and peppered her with questions.
Bobbie, or Grandma Bridges, is enrolled in Catholic Charities’ Foster Grandparents Program, which provides a way for low-income seniors to stay active through volunteer service with children and youth in their communities. Foster Grandparents can be found throughout the New Orleans area at several preschools, including Catholic Charities’ Head Start locations.
For 22 years, Grandma Bridges has been waking up each weekday to spend quality time with children as a Foster Grandparent. Grandma Bridges exemplifies and shares her lifelong experience of nurturing and guidance with the children, who come from vulnerable communities where families often experience economic hardship and limited resources. The Foster Grandparents Program is not a babysitting job for seniors, but an opportunity to provide mentorship while reinforcing learning and supporting student engagement and confidence in the classroom.
“Just as families trust schools to nurture their children’s growth, they also turn to the Foster Grandparents Program for that special bond. Having a caring adult—a grandparent figure—brings warmth and stability, creating lasting impacts on young lives,” says Ana Mendieta, director of the Foster Grandparents Program.
This additional support also empowers foundational skills and fosters positive learning behaviors.
Lashawn McCaskill, one of two co-teachers in this classroom for the past decade, has seen how these positive learning behaviors are implemented in the classroom, including when the children help give Grandma Bridges a hug at the start of the day and guide her with her cane to her chair.
After more than two decades, it’s not surprising to learn what keeps Grandma Bridges coming back.
“The children make my day! I love getting up every morning coming here and being with them. Every day is a joy to be with them,” Grandma Bridges says.
