Apple the Cat by Polly Alice McCann
Illustrated by Danielle D. Williams 2021. Published by Reconciliation Services. Apple is a very grumpy cat who likes everything to stay the same in his comfortable life in the city, but when he and his family lose their house to a fire, Apple must go with Lulu, CeCe, and Zuri to visit Grandma O. at Summertime Farm.
This book was created through a story writing program with Reconciliation Services. Over a dozen grandparents participated in three writing workshops to create a picture book to read during school visits. They chose me to write from their shared stories of travel, loss, new pets, family, and all kinds of adventures. The compilation of those workshops and characters built by these amazing storytellers became this book!
The Foster Grandparents Program connects low-income volunteers age 55 and over with opportunities to provide one-on-one mentoring, nurturing, and support to children with exceptional needs or who are at an academic, social or financial disadvantage. They volunteer in early education centers, schools, and hospitals in a caring and consistent way. The Foster Grandparent Program is part of AmeriCorps Seniors which enables seniors across America to use their time and talents to give back to their communities. The RS Foster Grandparents Program serves Jackson County in Kansas City, Missouri committed to seeing young people thrive and succeed.