‘88 Finishing Touches : Grandmother ‘Mother’ Finds She’s Not Alone

“We’ve discovered there are a lot of nice people in the world,” Sonja Jarred said. “The kids don’t quite understand what has happened--all they know is that good things have been coming their way.”

When Jarred was introduced to readers in May, she was a Long Beach grandmother struggling on a small income to rear four grandchildren, ages 4 to 10. She was an example of an increasing trend in America, grandparents finding themselves becoming parents again--because of parental death, involvement with drugs and/or alcohol, abandonment and other reasons.

Jarred and her four youngsters were living in a one-bedroom duplex in Long Beach (the oldest boy slept in a closet), the family somehow making do on the $753 a month she receives as Aid to Families With Dependent Children. Once a week, she and other adults in her circumstances attend Grandparents as Parents, a therapy support group.

Once their story was told, the result was overwhelming:

- Several hundred readers from 18 states sent in individual checks totaling nearly $9,000, which was distributed either directly or used to buy necessities for the families under the coordination of licensed clinical social worker and GAP founder Sylvie de Toledo. Jarred received what was specifically donated to her, the remainder went to other needy grandparents rearing children.

- Many other people mailed gift certificates, donated clothing and furniture. Some said they wanted to give either that or money on a continuing basis. Members of a local bowling league collected and donated food. A bicycle store gave used bikes.

- Disneyland had 180 of the adults and children as guests for a day. In addition, many individuals sent in tickets to that park and attractions, such as Universal Studios, Knott’s Berry Farm and the California Angels.

- The YMCA donated a week’s stay at its summer and winter camps for many of the children, as did a Catholic youth organization.

As for the Jarred family, they now are living in a three-bedroom house, complete with a yard, in Artesia. “A woman who owns the place read the story and is renting the house to me for the same monthly amount I was paying for the small duplex,” the 52-year-old grandmother said.

“Also, I no longer have to get around by bus. Another woman gave me a 1979 Plymouth. With that many kids in the L.A. area, you really need wheels.”

Not in their wildest dreams did Jarred and her four grandchildren expect that, as did happen, they would be complimentary guests for two nights at the classy Ramada Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach. “And they took us in a limousine to the Queen Mary and Spruce Goose!” she exclaimed.

Still, it isn’t that way every day. “Life is still hectic,” the grandmother said, “but at least things are brighter now.”