Stories

Category: Generations

Foster Grandparents: Leaving a Legacy of Learning and Loving

“Look who is here! Grandma’s here!” This greeting is how Mary Jones aka “Grandma Mary” greeted the twenty children who eagerly awaited her arrival to their classroom at KIPP Henry Collegiate Elementary. Not surprisingly, Grandma Mary was a popular figure at KIPP Henry where she volunteered for the past five years and was a strong recruiter of other Foster Grandparents. After retiring from Porter-Leath as an employee, Ms. Jones decided she wanted to spend time in... Read More
Generations

Porter-Leath’s Americorps Hops for Health this Spring!

Porter-Leath’s AmeriCorps program recently held its annual spring extravaganza, “Hopping for Health” in partnership with the City of Memphis at the Bickford Community Center. This free community event provided children and families access to health, wellness information and services with more than 35 informational and health screening vendors present. More than 250 participants including Porter-Leath children and families along with  community residents visited to learn about living heal... Read More
Generations

Seniors and AmeriCorps members are impacting the lives of at-risk children

Porter-Leath's Foster Grandparents Constant and Juanita Reynolds were nominated for the Wharton Award from the Memphis CARES Mentoring Movement while Porter-Leath teacher Denise Robinson was recently nominated for the Ujima Award. Denise served as an AmeriCorps member with Porter-Leath before continuing on her career path to become a Porter-Leath teacher. As a couple, Constant and Juanita invest over 1,000 volunteers hours serving preschool children through the Foster Grandparent Program ever... Read More
Generations

Miss Paige

There are so many children across the Mid-South that are reading below their grade level. So the non-profit Porter-Leath is turning to grandparents for a little help with the problem. For 6 hours a day, Monday through Thursday, you will find Lorrina Paige at the library. None of the children she helps are related to her. But when they come through the doors at the Cherokee Library, they sort of are. "So many kids come back and say ‘Where is the lady that helped us read?’ I like that," Paige s... Read More
Generations

Mrs. Lillian Whitmore

Mrs. Lillian Whitmore has been a foster grandparent volunteer with Porter-Leath for over six years, serving over 1,000 hours each year. She has volunteered with children at Douglass Elementary focusing on reading and literacy and most recently mentoring children and youth at the North Branch Library. Mrs. Whitmore inspires the children and teens to strive toward academic excellence. She spends much of her 16 hours a week helping and encouraging the youth to complete homework assignments. Her ... Read More
Generations

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