Menendez, Booker Announce Over $500K in Federal Funding for the Tri-County Community Action Agency in Bridgeton

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) today applauded the announcement of a $519,974 grant awarded to the Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc. (CAA) (AKA Gateway Community Action Partnership) in Bridgeton from the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS). The $519,974 grant will be awarded to the CAA yearly for the next 3 years. The grant enables the Gateway Community Action Partnership to recruit and engage Foster Grandparent volunteers to tutor and mentor children and youth with exceptional needs.

"This multigenerational interaction is what keeps our communities so strong,” said Sen. Menendez. “The children and young people of our community are eager to learn, and our seniors are eager to teach. I’m proud to support this program that embraces the valuable knowledge and experiences of our seniors through their capacity to act as tutors for Head Start, childhood and preschool programs. This funding will not only provide seniors with yet another vital role in our community, but also help hundreds of children learn and make significant gains in school readiness, literacy skills, and social and emotional development.”

“This grant will go a long way in providing the Gateway Community Action Partnership with the resources it needs to continue to expand access to early childhood education in New Jersey through the mentorship, support and tutoring offered by Foster Grandparent volunteers,” said Sen. Booker. “We are proud that under the stewardship of the Gateway Communication Action Partnership, this grant will enable innovative, inclusive and impactful programs like Foster Grandparents to reach more children and families in New Jersey.”

Created in 1965, the Foster Grandparent Program provides a way for volunteers age 55 and over to stay active by serving children and youth in their communities. Foster Grandparents are role models, mentors, and friends to children with exceptional needs. These volunteers serve an average of 20 hours per week in locations including schools, hospitals, juvenile correctional institutions, daycare facilities, or Head Start centers. In service, Foster Grandparents not only help needy children thrive, but also experience improved mental and physical health in the process.

The Tri-County Community Action Agency (CAA) is a dedicated community action agency that helps low- and moderate-income residents identify and overcome barriers to self-sufficiency. Through this grant, the Tri-County CAA will engage 93 Foster Grandparent volunteers to support early childhood education efforts at Head Start, childcare, and preschool programs. At the end of the three-year grant, the children served will demonstrate gains in school readiness, social-emotional development, literacy skills, and numeracy.

###