“Cents for St. Susan’s” Campaign Kick Off Held (May 2, 2023)

The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities 24th annual “₵ents for St. Susan’s” campaign is now underway.

The campaign supports operating costs at the soup kitchen located at 31 Water Street.

St. Susan Center executive director Cherie Rowland said, “Only a few short months ago, we were averaging 120 meals served per day. Today we are averaging 180 meals served each day.”

BPU General Manager Dave Leathers said that the BPU “₵ents for St. Susan’s” drives have raised $307,611.54 over the past 23 years.

In addition to generous sponsors, the campaign is assisted by community members who drop coins, cash and checks into bright yellow “₵ents for St. Susan’s” coin canisters placed around the area to collect money to help the soup kitchen feed hungry people.

Residents also may donate redeemable cans and bottles at the BPU Customer Service Office, at Don’s Car Wash and at the Southside Redemption Center for St. Susan Center.

Gifts may be mailed to “₵ents for St. Susan’s,” c/o Jamestown BPU, P.O. Box 700, Jamestown, NY 14702-0700.

BPU customers who pay their bills online also may contribute online at www.jamestownbpu.com.

A hot dog sale for the cause will take place outside the BPU Customer Service Office from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Friday, June 2.

All gifts to the drive go directly to St. Susan Center.

For more information, contact Becky Robbins at (716) 661-1680 or brobbins@jamestownbpu.com.

St. Susan Center officials and “Haul for the Holidays” sponsors

The 10th Annual “Haul for the Holidays” to benefit St. Susan Center will take place December 15 through 17.

Northwest Arena Executive Director Keith Martin will stand outside the Jamestown Cycle Shop for three days, accepting food and monetary donations.

Martin said the experience is heartwarming to see the support from the community, “I always say it may be cold outside for those three days, but each time somebody drives up and drops off a donation, you get all warm inside. So, I enjoy doing it. I enjoy seeing the people come in to help support St. Susan’s.”

St. Susan Center Director Cherie Rowland says the needs at the Center are as high as ever, “We’ve seen about a 15% from fourth quarter last year to fourth quarter this year. So, we’re on pace to feed 34,000 meals this year.”

Rowland said that Keith Martin’s goal was to try to raise enough funds to make it $150,000 total for the last 10 years, “He’s on track to do 150,000 pounds, am I right? [Keith Martin – “120,000”] 120,000 pounds. So, last year he collected 13,000 pounds and $24,000 for St. Susan’s. It’s truly been amazing.”

Rowland added that St. Susan Center remains open Monday through Saturdays, with a special Christmas Eve dinner being available noon to 1:45 p.m., Saturday, December 24.

The “Haul for the Holidays” donations can be dropped off at the Jamestown Cycle Shop, located at 10 Harrison Street, from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Thursday, December 15, 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Friday, December 16, and 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Saturday, December 17.

Jamestown BPU, St. Susan Center, and Sponsors gather on the Jamestown Riverwalk to celebrate ‘Cents for St. Susan’s’ Campaign Results

The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities announced the 23rd Annual “Cents For St. Susan’s” campaign has raised $26,693.

BPU Communications Coordinator Becky Robbins said around 50 canisters were put out at local businesses as part of the donation drive, “Those brought in about $2,000, which was very, very generous. And we did urge people to collect bottles and cans, redeemable containers. We didn’t do as much in that this year, but still raised $200 for that.”

She added a hot dog sale at the BPU also raised over $700. Robbins said campaign sponsors, which included individuals and local businesses, raised the rest of the funds.

St. Susan Center Executive Director Cherie Rowland said the funding will go toward feeding over 30,000 people this year, “It will be used for operating expenses as well as buying food. And as everybody knows, right now expenses are higher than they were at this time a year or so ago. So it’s a lot. It really does help.”

Rowland added that St. Susan Center not only feeds those who need it but also provides community, “That’s almost just as important as having a nourishing meal, is having human contact. Because humans cannot do life alone. We have to have participation with the community, I mean, just as individuals.”

Rowland said St. Susan Center also offered this summer a storytime for kids and adult learning programs.

Sponsors and St. Susan Center Board members gather to kick off the Cents for St. Susan’s Campaign (May 11, 2022)

The Jamestown Board of Public Utilities, sponsors, and St. Susan Center board members kicked off the 23rd Annual ‘Cents for St. Susan’s‘ campaign Wednesday.

The campaign features bright yellow coin canisters placed around the community to collect donations to assist the soup kitchen with feeding people in the Jamestown area. Since 2000, the campaign has raised $280,771.

St. Susan Center Executive Director Cherie Rowland said inflation has caused food prices to go up and up, “The supply chain is kind of disrupted, so we’re seeing it here at St. Susan’s. We’re seeing less food coming in from our donations from our supporters. Some of the major chains who give us food, they’re having shortages. So it’s more important now than even during the Pandemic.”

In addition to the coin canisters, donations may be mailed to ‘Cents for St. Susan’s, Jamestown BPU, PO 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. Also, a hot dog sale will take place outside the BPU Customer Service Office on June 3 to benefit the campaign.

Cherie Rowland

St. Susan Center welcomed its new Executive Director Cherie Rowland at an open house Wednesday.

Rowland replaces Bonnie Scott-Sleight, who left the organization early this Fall. She came to the Center from international company, John Cockerill, where she was an executive assistant, working over 25 years in the business sector. A Jamestown native, Rowland graduated from Jamestown Business College where she majored in marketing and management. She currently lives in Erie, Pennsylvania.

Rowland said she wants to help build community spirit for people who come to the Center, “Because, everyone has been away from each other for so long and so I want to promote that they can come in, have a cup of coffee, and just sit and talk with one another, and have that sense of community.”

Rowland said they’re already working on fundraisers such as the annual winter Ball as well as the annual Basket Fair that takes place in the Spring.

St. Susan Center currently serves around 120 people a day. Their hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday and 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturdays.