Interages
WISH LIST: $100: 2 months of mentoring for a child new to this country; $500: 1 school year of tutoring for an at-risk child; $1000: 1 year of visits and activities for 12 seniors in assisted living
Interages begins with an elegantly simple idea: bring children and youth together with seniors age 50 plus, and watch what the interaction generates. Older adult volunteers are trained tutors and mentors who work with children on a range of educational projects. Young people benefit from the knowledge and experience that their elders share, and seniors benefit too – from learning about the worlds that young people inhabit and from re-forging connections to their communities. Whether the topic is literacy training, math, or history, the goal is to erase stereotypes by providing a forum in which all voices are truly heard. In one program, senior adults work with at-risk immigrant children, facilitating the transition to a new school, improving English skills, and fostering self-confidence. In another, youngsters work with health-impaired seniors in adult centers – as in Makeover Madness, which brings seniors to the cosmetology program of the Edison High School of Technology for serious pampering and friendly conversation. This small organization with a huge heart builds bridges across generations and cultures: you can walk with them.
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