Griswold Celebrates National Caregivers Day With Plans to Award $100,000 in Nationwide Scholarships to Caregivers this Year
The in-home senior-care brand announced it is awarding up to $100,000 to individual caregivers who intend to further their education in the increasingly crucial care-related field.
PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 22, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Griswold, the fast-growing non-medical home care franchise with over 170 locations, recently announced the opening of its 2023 National Caregiver Scholarship Program in partnership with its nonprofit organization, the Jean Griswold Foundation, for the second year. The program aims to award $100,000 in scholarships to qualified caregivers across the country, kicking off on National Caregivers Day on February 17, 2023.
"This program is designed for family caregivers, professional caregivers or anyone interested in pursuing a career in the care industry," said Jean Griswold Foundation Acting Director, Sarah Latini. "Our mission is to support caregivers everywhere by providing scholarships that are directed to training, certification and degree enhancement in their field. Through these scholarships, we hope to impact the lives of the caregivers, as well as the families and the clients they serve now and in the future as they advance in their careers."
The Jean Griswold Foundation was founded in 2010 as a private nonprofit to support caregiving organizations in times of hardship, and was named after Dr. Jean Griswold to help carry on her legacy. Until 2021, funds raised through private donors, corporations, franchisees, and employees had been primarily awarded to individuals and programs dedicated to senior care, but the intention was always to offer a way for caregivers to improve their ability to pursue care-related work. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the need for home health became more pressing than ever, Latini says the foundation decided to reorganize their approach to fully focus on caregivers.
"We knew that caregivers were holding families and clients together following the pandemic, so we redesigned our mission to specifically help them pursue their career dreams through scholarships," said Latini. "Since starting the scholarship program last year, we are already making leaps and bounds in achieving our mission."
In 2022, the Jean Griswold Foundation awarded $24,000 in scholarships to 12 caregivers from across the country with amazing stories of perseverance and fortitude. This year, that number is jumping to a whopping $100,000 because of how successful the fundraising program was last year. The denominations allocated to each caregiver will range from $2,000 to $10,000 depending on the scholarship.
One recipient of the 2022 scholarships, Jessica Perez, was acknowledged for putting others first in her commitment to helping others. Perez is the oldest sibling in her family and grew up taking care of her siblings. As a result, her schooling needs were put on the back burner to help provide for her family. But through that care, she found her passion in healthcare and helping those in need. She also finds inspiration from her husband who is paralyzed and confined to a wheelchair, something she says gives personal meaning to her career.
"Nothing ever happened to me like this. I am always taking care of everybody, and I want to do more. What else can I do, what else can I learn?" said Perez. Since receiving her scholarship in July 2022, she has graduated with her Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA) license.
"When Jean Griswold started this company in 1982, she made sure that she was able to give back," said Chair of the Jean Griswold Foundation and Griswold franchisee Maryanne Murray. "I am really happy to be able to continue that philanthropy today. Our scholarship program is improving the lives of Griswold caregivers and all caregivers in general. Of the 12 we were able to support last year, for example, many of them have already achieved certification or taken advancements in their careers. That also helps us serve our clients better and impact the community at large. This year, we have the chance to do even more, all thanks to the generous donors who are making contributions to this cause."
And the need for caregiver support is more important than ever, Latini says. "as we see the senior population growing, more people need in-home care," she said. "Caregivers provide that glue to make sure clients and patients are receiving the care they need, staying on track with their home experience and keeping them out of health care facilities. That is more critical than ever."
Additionally, Murray says these kinds of caregiver-focused initiatives help further position Griswold franchisees as employers-of-choice in the senior care industry. "The scholarships will set us apart from other home care agencies and will help us recruit caregivers, too," she adds. "It's also a good way to distinguish ourselves during a time of caregiver shortages and so much competition. We attract remarkable caregivers who seem to enjoy our culture, and we definitely enjoy what they're bringing to the table. We have fabulous caregivers on our teams, and they're really the lifeblood of our industry."
Those interested in applying for the 2023 National Caregiver Scholarship Program can visit the Jean Griswold Foundation's Scholarship Program page and fill out the form between February 17, 2023 and April 26, 2023. Both applicants and sponsors will need to fill in their designated information. The first round of winners will be announced on July 30th, Jean Griswold's birthday.
"At the end of the day, this is all about honoring those people on the frontline of home care," said Latini. "Those heroes don't generally receive enough credit for the wonderful work they do and the sacrifices they make everyday, and we are excited to be giving back and recognizing that commitment at the same time."
On being a care provider with Griswold, Genene Brown, a Caregiver who just returned to her Griswold roots after taking care of her parents for some time, agrees that those in the client-facing roles are truly dedicated to their practice. "You have to have patience, and you have to care about what you do," says Brown. "You get so attached to your clients and really learn something new every day."
Franchise opportunities range from $95,850 to $174,100 including a $49,500 franchise fee. For more information about franchising with Griswold, please visit https://www.griswoldhomecare.com/franchising/investment-info/.
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