Serving meals, advice, comfort

A week ago today, Jennette Bruce cooked a final, delicious meal for homeless teens at the WIND Youth Center.

A day later, she returned to the North Sacramento facility for what was supposed to be a small, private lunch to celebrate her 75th birthday.

Instead, the lady everyone calls "Grandma" walked into a big surprise party that saluted her four-plus years of service at WIND.

"My goodness," she exclaimed, blushing, as more than 40 guests applauded her arrival. "My word."

Because the party had a New Orleans Mardi Gras theme, Bruce was fitted with a glittering coronet.

Bruce had served more than 50,000 meals at WIND, the main safe place for Sacramento's homeless teens.

But on Friday , the cooking was done by WIND staff. The feast included pork chops, fried chicken, cabbage and gumbo.

Bruce, of south Sacramento, also received a plaque with a photo of herself, next to the words:

"In Appreciation – Jennette Bruce 'Grandma' ... Because of you, the lives of children have been touched with love. Thank you. The kids, staff and WIND Board."

She also was handed a hand-made 8- by-12-inch congratulatory card with personal messages from more than two dozen WIND youths and staff.

"Grandma, you are irreplaceable," one message said.

"We love you. We are going to miss you," said another.

When Bruce became the program's cook in early 2003, WIND was in a cramped, one-room rental on North C Street next to the Loaves & Fishes homeless services complex.

"It was just one big room, with the kitchen on one end and tables for the kids spread out" all over, she recalled.

In April, WIND moved to the $1.25 million remodeled former post office at 701 Dixieanne Ave., off Del Paso Boulevard.

Besides a charter school, a computer room and other amenities, the bright, 5,000-square-foot building includes a large kitchen and a cafeteria with plenty of tables.

Just like at the original location, Bruce was supposed to work four hours daily in the Dixieanne Avenue kitchen.

But she always went beyond her paid schedule, contributing hours each day as a volunteer teen counselor.

And what message did she convey?

"That life is not an easy thing, and they (teenagers) have to keep trying," said Bruce, a widow and mother of four grown children. "There are people willing to help ... but stick to those who are reliable and dependable."

Bruce earned a bachelor's degree with a double major in sociology and psychology from National College in Missouri. For a decade, she worked as a child welfare services employee for Sacramento County.

In a press release, WIND said, "In her time with WIND, Grandma has done more than fill tummies, she has eased broken hearts with her sense of welcome in a tender smile and helped provide a sense of home and comfort to those in need of acceptance."

A WIND pamphlet says no one knows how many local teens sleep in the streets or other unsafe circumstances, "but on any night it is in the hundreds."

"A lot of our kids have faced abuse or trauma through no fault of their own," said Bob Ekstrom, WIND's executive director.

The WIND staff has become a kind of family for the teens, to the point of "chewing them out" when needed, he said.

For many WIND teens, no staffer was more popular than Bruce.

"Grandma has been wonderful with us," said Chandra McDaniel, 19, who, formerly homeless, recently moved into a Natomas apartment through WIND.

"Grandma has done a lot of hard work," said McDaniel, now completing high school at the WIND school, which was created through a partnership with the Grant Community Charter School Collaboration.

"I just hope she comes back to visit," added McDaniel, who plans to be a pediatric assistant nurse.

During an interview, Bruce said she plans to return, once in a while.

First, however, she wants to rest for a few days.

About the writer:

• Call The Bee's Edgar Sanchez, (916) 321-1088.