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Printed
on Sun, Jan. 4th, 2004
San Jose Mercury News
Burned-out
Center for Youths in S.J. Gets Offers of Aid
By
Elise Banducci
Mercury News
The Second Street Drop-In Center in downtown San Jose -- a lifeline to troubled, mostly homeless young people -- was given a lifeline of its own Saturday when a caterer offered to donate food so the fire-ravaged facility could start providing hot meals again Monday.
Since a New Year's Day fire that devastated the Bill Wilson Center's downtown site, teenagers and young adults who either are too old or never really fit into the county's foster care program have been turned away for the first time since the building opened six years ago. The center is looking for other donors who can provide additional meals.
"All we have is Monday,'' said Executive Director Sparky Harlan. "As we work this one day at a time, we're hoping someone will step up and say, 'We'll take Tuesday.' ''
Offers of all kinds of donations are also pouring in, Harlan said, but right now what the center needs most is food and cash. She wants to speed up renovations to a larger, neighboring building, where the center planned to move because of increased demand. Rent from the Victorian gutted by the fire was intended to fund the move.
Harlan said the most painful result of the fire -- believed to have been caused by a smoldering plug or cord -- was turning away hungry children. "It takes so long to get a bond with these kids,'' Harlan said. "You don't want to break that for long because they may not come back.''
That bond will be restored at least temporarily thanks to Carol Sowolla, of Napkin Ring Catering in Saratoga. On Monday, she'll deliver 60 meals of spaghetti and meatballs, salad, garlic bread, and cookies, which will be served near the burned-out building.
"January is a quiet time for us,'' said Sowolla of her decision to help out. "But we did have a really good December, so it's a good way to give back.''
The Santa Clara-based Bill Wilson Center has been providing comprehensive services, including transitional housing, to troubled or abused teens and young adults for 30 years in the valley. The drop-in center opened in 1998. Aside from worries that clients will go hungry, Harlan is also anxious because it's been so cold and wet outside.
The youths don't just come to the center to eat, they leave their tents under freeway bridges and along the Guadalupe River to get warm and cleaned up, as well. They also use the center as a mail drop, since they often have no other address.
"You
need to be consistent,'' Harlan said of the young people the center serves,
"because they are used to people not being there for them.''