A demonstration project was conducted in three diverse, multiethnic Western Pennsylvania communities to use older adult tutors to improve Head Start parents' literacy skills so that these parents could aid and encourage the development of their own children's literacy. During the project, the partnerships in two Pennsylvania counties developed and set into operation procedures for recruiting, training, and matching older adult mentors with their client families. In addition, strong follow-up and inservice and support procedures were implemented. The training curriculum including an introduction to family literacy, a discussion of intergenerational relationships, and preparation for making home visits. The follow-up strategy consisted primarily of monthly group workshops, along with frequent telephone contact among the project coordinator, the mentors, and the parents. Many of the mentors extended their commitment past the Head Start semester and helped the parents and children in the transition from Head Start to kindergarten. The project had many successes in developing relationships between five Western Pennsylvania human service agencies, developing a well-received curriculum for training older adults in family literacy concepts, and developing effective methods for communicating these concepts to at-risk families. Recommendations for modifications to future such projects included realizing the need and increasing efforts to recruit volunteers continuously, keeping training times realistic, and remaining flexible with project implementation. (KC)