Pictured are supporters of the Cents For St. Susan’s fundraiser.

The Board of Public Utilities’s Cents For St Susan’s Campaign is officially underway.

The BPU has hosted this fundraising campaign annually for St Susan’s since its launch in 2000. Bright yellow donation canisters are placed at local businesses, inviting residents to contribute any spare change or money, and every penny collected goes directly to St Susan Center. Checks are also accepted and can be made out to St Susan Center with the memo Cents for St Susan’s and mailed to the BPU at PO Box 700. Donations are also accepted online at stsusancenter.org/donations/cents/.

In 2024 the campaign raised $32,508, which according to St Susan’s website is record breaking and surpassed the previous year’s total.

During the April meeting of the BPU, General Manager David Leathers said the campaign officially got underway during the week of the meeting at the end of April and beginning of May. He acknowledged the BPU’s Becky Robbins for her work on the fundraiser.

“I just recognize Becky and the amount of work and effort and success she does annually on this campaign,” Leathers said. “Seems like you have a very organized and methodical approach to this on an annual basis. I’m not sure anyone else could do and get the results that you have.”

A campaign kick-off was held recently at the future St. Susan Center site at the former Jamestown Business College. The fund drive’s sponsors and volunteers heard about the campaign plans and viewed St. Susan Center’s new location, which is expected to open at the end of 2025.

Cherie Rowland, St. Susan Center executive director, said that in 2024 alone the soup kitchen served nearly 53,000 meals, averaging 175 meals per day. As part of the campaign, bright yellow “Cents for St. Susan’s” coin canisters are appearing around area store and restaurant counters through July 4 to collect spare change, dollars and checks written to St. Susan Center, to help the local soup kitchen prepare and serve daily meals to hungry people in the community. Last year’s drive raised $35,401 for the purpose. This year, the canisters also contain a QR code that the public can use to donate online.

In addition to donating through coin canisters, the public may donate by mailing checks made payable to St. Susan Center and addressed to “Cents for St. Susan’s,” Jamestown BPU, P.O. Box 700, Jamestown, NY 14702-0700. Redeemable bottles and cans may be donated at the BPU Customer Service Office, Don’s Car Wash and the Southside Redemption Center.

A hot dog sale to benefit the campaign will occur outside the BPU Customer Service Office, 92 Steele St., on Friday, June 20. Redeemable containers can also be donated at the hot dog sale.

“Major sponsors have already come forward to help us raise funds for the soup kitchen this year,” Robbins said. “They include Judy and Steve McAllaster, Northwest Bank, The Robinson Law Office, Asplundh, Boyle’s Motor Sales, Century 21/Turner Brokers, Dan and Connie Evans, Falconer Printing & Design, Inc., Kwik-Fill, The Legend Group with Lou Deppas, National Fuel, R. Patti Excavating & Concrete, Robbins and Johnson Attorneys, Shults Auto Group, Slone-Melhuish Insurance, Store-N-Lock, Wendel, Weinberg Financial Group, Wright Calimeri, PLLC, Attorneys and one anonymous person.”

The Media One Radio Stations and The Post-Journal have volunteered as media sponsors for the annual fund drive, providing valuable communication space and airtime to the endeavor.

“The utility is proud to be affiliated with St. Susan Center,” Leathers said. “We appreciate that the soup kitchen operates with a small staff and numerous volunteers who work diligently to address the hunger problem in our community. In 2024, nearly 53,000 meals were served at the Center, and we are pleased to know that we assisted positively in this vital effort.”

St. Susan Center staff and volunteers can purchase $6 of food with each dollar spent at FeedMore NY, formerly the Western New York Food Bank. Any amount contributed to “Cents for St. Susan’s will be stretched six times to meet the daily needs of the soup kitchen.

“With heartfelt gratitude, we at St. Susan’s reflect on the unwavering support we receive from the BPU and all those who contributed to the “Cents for St. Susan’s” campaign over the last 26 years,” Rowland said.

“Since 1984, St. Susan Center soup kitchen has served as a welcoming refuge for thousands in the Jamestown area, continually expanding to meet the growing needs of our community,” continued Rowland. “Our dedicated team consists of six staff members and more than 75 volunteers who assist with our food and support programs.”

“We thank everyone in the community who donates to help St. Susan Center in this spring and summer drive each year,” said Robbins. “No snow and improved weather means that people can walk to the soup kitchen more easily, including children out of school. Every cent donated to “Cents for St. Susan’s” goes directly to that work, with no administrative costs deducted. Every gift, regardless of size, is important and deeply appreciated.”

The soup kitchen is currently housed at 31 Water Street in Jamestown and is open daily from 11 a.m. to 2:45 p.m., Monday through Friday, and from noon to 2 p.m. on Saturdays. The Center is closed Sundays and only closes on four additional days each year: New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, July 4, and Labor Day.