Last summer, the staff at the soup kitchen at St. Susan Center was joined by someone with an interesting title: ''Granny on Staff.''
Donna Smith, a volunteer working with the Foster Grandparent Program, joined the center in 2010 for the summer months - a time when numbers of young people entering the soup kitchen are up, reports Sue Colwell, St. Susan Center executive director.
''Our numbers continue to grow, so it's a challenge,'' she said. ''We can't do it without the community, and the talents of Donna and others and their gifts and talents and creativity.''
Seeing the number of children who would finish their meals at the kitchen and then languish in boredom as their parents tried to have their own meals, Ms. Colwell instituted a program last year to offer crafts and books for children to enjoy while they were at the center - not to increase the time they spent there, she said, but to enhance it.
Ms. Smith, who works during the school year with the Foster Grandparent Program in a second-grade classroom at Lincoln Elementary School, was brought in to monitor the program at St. Susan Center. She said she moved to the Jamestown area after living in Pennsylvania and driving a school van for 17 years, and the opportunity to continue her work with children is valuable to her.
''When I told Linda (Burton, Foster Grandparent Program coordinator) my background, she said, 'Come on up, you're just what we're looking for,''' she said. ''I wanted something to do, and I wanted it to be with children.''
For her work with the children at St. Susan Center, Ms. Smith comes in during the busiest lunch times - 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. - starting in early July. She sets up a table near the back of the dining room and shares books, arts and crafts with the children whose families seek the services of the center.
During the busiest times, as many as a dozen young people surrounded her table last summer, she reported - an experience that at times could be a bit overwhelming. She will have help this year, as a second ''Granny on Staff,'' Rose Restivo, will join her.
''I couldn't do as much as I wanted to,'' Ms. Smith said. ''I wanted to get more crafts done, but we didn't have a whole lot of craft stuff to work with.''
While St. Susan Center has plenty of books to entertain the kids throughout the summer, Ms. Colwell said she is hopeful the community will donate more materials for crafts this summer. Items such as construction paper, child-safe scissors and glue, foam shapes, and library paste are needed, she said.
''We give them a meal, but we always want to make sure that we're more,'' she said. ''If we can give them a little extra care, from somebody who has gifts and talents and love for children, that's why we're here and that's why Donna's here.''
For information on the St. Susan Center and how to make donations, contact Ms. Colwell at 664-2253, ext. 3.
