Global Intergenerational Week falls at the end of April this year (24th-30th), a time to celebrate the value and power of relationships when people of different ages intentionally engage in activities together. We’re taking this opportunity to highlight some of the programs that take place in Mercer County that work to create a bridge between different-aged residents. From GrandPals to Neighbors Helping Neighbors, there are multiple programs that foster and build relationships, while offering help along the way.
GRANDPALS
Center for Modern Aging Princeton (CMAP) recognizes that creating connections between different generations can benefit all involved. Each month it offers Grand Adventures, a chance for grandparents and grandkids to explore through a guided tour in nature. Seniors to Seniors is another program, where seniors in high school and senior-aged people are paired together to become pen-pals. Their largest intergenerational meet up can be found through CMAP’s GrandPals, which has been taking place for over 25 years.
The program takes volunteer (generally aged 55+) and brings them into local areas schools. Primarily they are paired one-on-one (though sometimes there are two students or more per volunteer) and they maintain the same pairings throughout the entire school year. By spending time together every week, for 30-minute reading sessions, those younger and older are learning and growing.
“We all love to be read to. Someone narrating a story, it’s very grounding, pacifying and comforting. And especially when it’s one-on-one,” shares Ella Leving, Director of AmeriCorps and Volunteer Engagement at CMAP. “The value for the kids is obvious. However, I was curious to what is there for the 85-yr old? Why would they spend 30 minutes reading a picture book to kids they don’t even know? And it became very clear after the first session – it’s infective. You could almost see how grownups get injected with this pure excitement, childish energy and joyful life. There’s a spark and laughter, and it’s so beautiful to watch. It’s almost a chemical reaction.”
Prior to COVID, GrandPals took place with the kindergarteners at the four municipal elementary schools in Princeton. It was forced to take a hiatus for the health and safety of all involved but returned in 2023 to Littlebrook and Riverside elementary schools. Today, the program has surpassed its previous plan, now bringing more than 80 volunteers to read at those schools as well as at Johnson Park (to first graders) and Community Park elementary schools, Princeton Charter School and to the 3/4-year-olds at Princeton Nursery School.
“The goal of this program is to create connection,” Leving adds. “It is consistent, every week, with the same child, so he knows you by name, and you know about his dog, sister, baby brother. Very often it’s not just reading because there are more questions. Small talk is very important. Sometimes in the middle of the page, they’ll ask or tell a story.”
Frank McBrearity has been a GrandPal since 2019. He moved to Princeton to be closer to his daughter and her children, never realizing he would have the honor of developing relationships with even more “grandkids” along the way. Not only does Frank enjoy reading, he has become renowned for his high-fives and fist bumps, given to every student at the end of the session before they go on their way.
“They pick the books for me to read, and we talk together about the topics, our pets and our favorite sports. I am pursuing my “Master’s in Grandparent Administration” (MGA) with attention, appreciation and generosity,” Frank explains, as the fist-bumps become his signature good-bye. “It is sharing and caring. The many other GrandPals join me in bringing generations together in the inviting atmosphere of the Riverside School.”
Retired teacher, Caroline Purnell has been a GrandPal since 2022. Though she spent years teaching French, Spanish and ESL for adults, this latest venture fills her to the brim.
“The half of the biggest thrill for me is watching the kindergarteners come into the library for the first time. They are new to kindergarten and now are facing a room full of grandparent-type adults who will be their readers for the year. The other half of my personal thrill is seeing how far the children have come at the end of the year. They are no longer reticent, but engaged and excited to have bonded with their GrandPal,” Purnell explains. “I should say there is another component to my thrill: Seeing my kindergartener, now in first grade, giving me a big hug in the hallway! To me, that’s going full circle, watching these unsure kindergarteners develop confidence and reading skills while giving us GrandPals such joy and happiness.”
NEIGHBORS HELPING NEIGHBORS
Joy and happiness is the ultimate goal for all of these programs. At Interfaith Caregivers of Greater Mercer County (ICGMC), volunteers have been caring for homebound elderly and disabled adults for over 30 years.
Through informative health and educational sessions, ICGMC works to make aging easier. They also run their inaugural program, now called Neighbors Helping Neighbors that works in cooperation with local congregations to recruit and train volunteers that provide non-medical services and help with daily tasks in the homes of adults that desire to live independently. 231 people received help from a network of 261 volunteers last year, an effort made through more than 12,000 hours of service. Though there are three current volunteers in their 90s, there is often an intergenerational connection between the helpers and those they assist.
“Once a volunteer caregiver is matched with a care receiver, the magic begins! We intentionally make matches based on geographic location and common interests. This helps to provide a foundation for connection from the very start,” details Carla Winters, Director of Grants and Fundraising for ICGMC. “These special relationships typically last 5 – 10 years, with the most common reasons for ending being a change in a volunteer’s ability to participate or the care receiver’s declining health, indicating care needs beyond the scope of what our volunteers provide.”
Whether driving to/from medical appointments, grocery shopping or offering light household chores, the efforts of the younger volunteers are invaluable to their older receivers. Often times, they just sit together, and laugh.
“We hear such stories of lighthearted fun! From board games and cards to trips out for lunch to simple walks around the block, our pairs consistently show us that life is meant to be lived joyfully, with infectious smiles,” Winters adds. “How fortunate are younger generations to have the opportunity to speak to someone who has navigated life’s journey! How fortunate are older generations to find purpose in a fulfilling friendship! When we meet people with different experiences, our eyes are opened to another’s understanding of the world. The lessons we exchange help us grow in love and compassion – two things I think we could always use.”
There is always a concern of what life will look like as you age, but Winters says the sharp, vibrancy she sees with many of their recipients in their 90s and even 100s helps to change her expectations of what the future may hold.
GETTING INVOLVED
Grandpals, Neighbors Helping Neighbors, and the many other programs we didn’t get to detail in this article, often recruit volunteers. If you have some extra time and love to give, reach out and see if it might be the right fit for you. There is no limit to the amount of love and light one can give or receive.
Lisa Jacknow spent years working in national and local news in and around New York City before moving to Princeton. Working as both a TV producer and news reporter, Lisa came to this area to focus on the local news of Mercer County at WZBN-TV. In recent years, she got immersed in the Princeton community by serving leadership roles at local schools in addition to volunteering for other local non-profits. In her free time, Lisa loves to spend time with her family, play tennis, sing and play the piano. A graduate of the S. I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, Lisa was raised just north of Boston, Massachusetts but has lived in the tri-state area since college. She is excited to be Editor and head writer for Princeton Perspectives!