News/Events

Foster Grandparent Program Awarded State-wide Catchment Area

The Friends Foster Grandparent Program (FGP) was recently awarded a federal contract to provide services to the entire state of New Hampshire.

For 21 years, the Friends FGP has served four counties and designated towns in two additional counties. Crotched Mountain FGP, headquartered in Manchester, has served the other half of the state. Crotched Mountain Rehabilitation Services (the sponsor organization) recently made the decision to relinquish sponsorship of the Foster Grandparent Program. The Friends Program was encouraged to apply for the contract due to our program’s strength and agency capacity.

As of 4/1/08 the Friends FGP will serve Hillsborough, Sullivan, Grafton, Cheshire and Coos counties in addition to its current catchment area of, primarily, Belknap, Merrimack, Rockingham and Strafford counties.

The Friends FGP will increase in capacity by about 70 Foster Grandparents and 30 volunteer sites. Currently, the biggest numbers of volunteers serving in the new region are in Manchester, Nashua and Claremont, with additional presence in towns just south of Manchester, Keene, Newport and Canaan.

The Friends FGP staff, as well as the Friends Program Board and Administration are looking forward to working with our new Foster Grandparents and sites and exploring new ways we can serve the new region.