April is recognized as National Volunteer Month and is dedicated to honoring all volunteers across the nation. From bagging items at a food pantry to spending a Saturday cleaning up a public park, volunteers make a difference in their communities, and we thank them for giving back.

The word volunteer is defined as someone who freely takes part in an enterprise or handles a task. With such a broad definition, the term applies to the thousands of ways people give back every day. A great example of this is the Texas Health and Human Services Commission Foster Grandparent Program.

Through the Foster Grandparent Program, income-eligible Texans ages 55 and older mentor children and youth at elementary schools, Head Start programs, child care centers and juvenile justice facilities, along with boys and girls clubs, libraries and summer camps. Their commitment to the program and the children and youth they serve is unwavering, and their impact can last a lifetime, spanning generations.

One of the Foster Grandparent Program volunteers recently hit a major milestone. On Feb. 16, Willie Piper of Austin celebrated her 30th anniversary as a volunteer with the program. Affectionately called “Grandma,” Piper spent much of her time mentoring youth at the Travis County Juvenile Detention Center. Over the past 30 years, she has served upwards of 50,000 hours and is estimated to have mentored as many as 20,000 youth.

Piper has hundreds of stories to share about the connections she’s made, but all of them have one common theme: empowerment. Piper shows love, kindness and empathy to each youth she works with. She is in their corner when no one else is there, offering words of encouragement and giving them hope. The impact of Piper’s service is immeasurable, and she has been an inspiration for so many people.

Throughout National Volunteer Month and every month after, we challenge you to serve your community, finding motivation from Piper and other Foster Grandparent Program volunteers.

Interested in becoming a Foster Grandparent volunteer? Visit the Foster Grandparent Program page for more information.

Written by Emily Dressen, Texas Health and Human Services’ Foster Grandparent Program