Meet Dorothy Grant

On January 21, 2004 FUSD's Board of Education approved renaming Lime Elementary School to Dorothy Grant Elementary School.  At the Board Meeting, Dr. Wayne Ruble provided the following background on Mrs. Grant's extensive involvement in the community.

Dorothy Lee Grant was born in Elizabeth, Louisiana to Barbara Jett and Richard Grant.  She has three brothers:  Wilbert, Richard, Charles; and one sister, Rose Marie.

Her mother died when Dorothy was three years old.  She was raised in a white home until she was 14.  At that time, she went to live with her Aunt Ruby Kearney who lived in Houston, Texas.  She continued her education there until she graduated, then moved to Oakland, California where her brother lived when she was 18.

She met and married Nineveh Bell.  They had one child, a daughter Anita, who now lives in Rialto.

Dorothy attended Merritt Business School in Berkley and worked at Moore's Clothiers in Oakland and San Francisco.  Because of her asthmatic condition, she moved to Phoenix and lived there for two years before to moving to Fontana in 1959.

She enrolled her daughter in school at North Tamarind Elementary School.  She  volunteered to be a parent helper for the school nurse, Evelyn Caddy.  Mr. Greider, Assistant Superintendent of Business, suggested she apply for work in the district.  She began working in the cafeteria at the new Alder Junior High School, which opened in 1960.  She later worked as matron for the Girls P.E. Department at Fontana High School until she retired after 26 years with the district.

As a single mother raising a daughter, she also worked in private homes to supplement her income.  She worked for a local lawyer, Frank Aspenwald, as well as the Hershel Swedlove, Nat Simon, and Learner families.

Dorothy Grant has been a political activist.  She attended most City Council and County Board of Supervisors meetings, making sure that they didn't overlook the needs of her neighborhood.  At City Council meetings, she has lobbied for sewers, lights, and now paved roads and sidewalks for her neighborhood.  She was instrumental in getting the signal lights at Baseline and Citrus and worked with the City Police, and concerned neighbors to make their neighborhood safer for children by getting rid of the drug houses.

At the County level, she lobbied for the Recreation Center later named for Jessie Turner.  She helped to establish the North Fontana Head Start Center which closed in 2002.  She was instrumental in getting the Senior Noon Meal Program and the County Food Giveaway Program for low income families and seniors at the Jessie Turner Center until they closed in 2003.  For over 25 years she was at the Center on a daily basis.  She was responsible for the Commodities Food Giveaway Program at the Center.  She was there from 6 to 11 a.m. to distribute food to families and seniors who needed assistance.  On the second Tuesday of each month she organized the Federal Food Distribution for seniors and low-income families.  The program touched the lives of over 4000 adults and children each month.  On Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday, she picked-up old bread, pastries or vegetables from Vons and Stater Brothers to distribute.  For several years she delivered Meals on Wheels to seniors in the area.

She was an active P.T.A. member and served on the Ways and Means Committee.  She continues to be involved with her church, a bowling club, and the Exchange Club of Fontana.  She also works with the Habitat for Humanity.  At one time, she worked alongside former President Jimmy Carter.

As a volunteer, she has dedicated her life to helping children and seniors.  As a member of the Exchange Club she was able to get volunteers to assist in preparing and serving a dinner for the public.  Donated turkeys were cooked by many and brought back to the center on that day.  At Christmas, she had a Christmas Party and gave away toys donated by the Target Distribution Center.  At Easter, she received donations of several cases of eggs.  Volunteers help to boil and color the eggs, so they could have an Easter Egg Hunt.

She has given hundreds of volunteer hours to the Jessie Turner Community Center.  Through Dorothy, the Center received donations for young people who attended the facility.  She ran a snack bar and paid for the supplies herself.  The profits were placed in a scholarship program.  She also had clothes and shoes available when needed.

Scholarships for graduating seniors at our high schools is high on her list of accomplishments.  She was constantly having a drawing for a gift basket, a quilt, or other large items that she had donated, such as a T.V.  The proceeds went for scholarships.  Dorothy hasn't been shy about asking people to donate to this fund either.

Throughout the year she and volunteers would make lap blankets.  They have made 500 to 1000 lap blankets which were taken to shut-ins and to convalescent homes in the area.

Dorothy has been dedicated to providing young and old people with the chance to develop personal and leadership skills to insure a future for educational opportunities through scholarships and referrals.  As a result, she helped form the Dorothy Grant Foundation, placing the wellbeing of all children as a priority.  Even before the Foundation was formed, she gave scholarships by selling food at park events and snacks at the Center.  She collected cans and tabs for recycling.

She has always been available when there were racial problems within the school district.  She has been called upon many times to assist in solving family/school conflicts.

Dorothy has received numerous honors, including the San Bernardino Education Medal of Honor, the Juanita Scott Humanitarian of the Year Award, the Project Head Start Award, and she was named Woman of the Year by Senator Nell Soto in the California State Legislature.

It is with pride and honor that we name our newest elementary school after this fine lady.

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