The New Rochelle Youth Bureau in concert with the White Plains Youth Bureau is launching Grandpas United, an intergenerational mentoring program matching granddads with New Rochelle youth and young men ages 8-21.  The program is currently seeking volunteer grandpas in New Rochelle.

The mission of Grandpas United is to utilize the talents, skills and experiences of our valued seniors to improve our community. Grandpas serve as role models and mentors to enhance the growth and development of our youth, while sharing talents and experiences with one another, enabling them to maintain their dignity, self-respect and self-worth. The New Rochelle Youth Bureau Grandpas United program will include individual and group events like coffee or cooking, sports nights, mentoring and career days, civic engagement and more.

 “This program will serve to connect the youth and elders of our community in a meaningful way,” said Youth Bureau Executive Director Kelly Johnson. “Our young men will benefit from the wisdom and life experience of the older generation, who in turn will be able to have a lasting impact on the future generation- and learn from them as well.”

If you are interested in applying to be a volunteer, please contact Walter Brown, Program Coordinator at 914-654-2045 or email the Youth Bureau at YouthBureau@NewRochelleny.com.  For more information, visit NewRochelleNY.com/Youth.

Grandpas United was founded in 2018 by Frank Williams, executive director of the White Plains Youth Bureau, and Jim Isenberg, PhD, former executive director for the NY region of the North American Family Institute, Grandpas United is a multigenerational mentorship initiative that pairs local youth with volunteer granddads who offer not only their time and attention but also their vast experience both professionally and for life in general. The program, despite being relatively new and unique, has been a phenomenal success so far, attracting as many as 70 grandfathers serving many hundreds of kids between the ages of 8 and 21.