Beverly Robbins, the volunteer coordinator for the Foster Grandparent and Senior Companion Programs at The Opportunity Alliance in South Portland, has written a children’s book to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the national Foster Grandparents Program.

Robbins collaborated with Portland-based artist Mirabai Iwanko to create a book that tells a story about Maine’s Foster Grandparents.

“Ace Gets a Grammy” is about a student who transfers into a new school with Foster Grandparent volunteers. Readers can follow Ace as she discovers why all of her classmates call one of the adults “Grammy.”

Today, 50 years after the Foster Grandparent Program began, the volunteers have “helped to shape the minds of America’s children and fostered intergenerational connections between the two groups that has significant benefits for both,” according to The Opportunity Alliance press release.

“The program has expanded greatly from its infancy when foster grandparent volunteers only served in homes, hospital wards, special schools and institutions, to today when they support pre-K and headstart programs, juvenile centers, elementary schools and other educational settings,” the release adds.

Robbins wanted to write her book in order to recognize the primary goals of the Foster Grandparents Program, which is to promote both intergenerational relationships and literacy.

A local woman has written a book, “Ace Gets a Grammy,” to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the national Foster Grandparents Program.

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