There are suicide hotlines, homework hotlines and computer help hotlines. And although it may not be widely celebrated, CONTACT Pittsburgh, a nonprofit agency in the helping business, caters to children and what they crave most: attention. Known as KidsLine PhonePals, the nonemergency number is designed for children ages 6-12 who are home alone after school. Whether kids want to talk about school, family or friends, they are patched through to a grandma on duty. And at least two grandmas are on duty 3 to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. KidsLine PhonePals, which was resurrected in 1994, is operated by volunteers who receive calls in their homes. The program initially was established in 1986, but failed. “We have 13 full-time grandmas. They are wonderful,” said Megan McKinley, assistant to the executive director of CONTACT Pittsburgh. Volunteers undergo individualized training programs before they are enlisted to lend listening ears to the children who call in – sometimes religiously. “The majority of them are not frightened to be home by themselves. They just want attention – they want that listening ear,” said Jan Glick, executive director of CONTACT Pittsburgh. “The majority of them are just lonely.” While more youthful phone pals may be able to relate to the youngsters more easily, Glick said there is a quality to the grandma phone pals, who cannot be duplicated. A lot of them don’t have grandparents around,” Glick said. “I think it gives them a respect for elderly people. They are so patient and willing to spend whatever time (the children) need.” But the children are not the sole beneficiaries of the service provided by the hotline. The grandmas also share in the comfort of phone pals. “I think they get a sense of being worthwhile, a pride that they are helping the community,” Glick said. “Elderly people sometimes feel like they have no purpose. This gives them purpose.” Mary Alice Minehan, who has been a proud grandma phone pal for five years, more than agrees with Glick. “It’s been such a privilege for me to be able to talk to those kids,” she said. “I can’t be that wonderful grandma that can put on a Band-Aid or cook a wonderful meal. But I can gab with someone and I think that’s important.” Minehan, a mother and grandmother many times over, said her Friday afternoon shifts are among her favorite activities. And while the conversations are never about anything terribly personal, she has helped solve some of the kids’ most difficult dilemmas. “One little girl let her brother’s monkey out,” Minehan said. “I did have one little girl that decided that she was going to have her eighth-grade boyfriend over when her mother wasn’t there. She asked if she thought she’d be mad.” She said she gives the kids the soundest advice she can – when they ask for it. Mostly, though, she just listens. “You find out you just relax and let the kid be what the kid is.” Although she is never quite sure what to expect when she answers the phone, she is glad that it keeps ringing. “I think more of the schools should know about this,” she said. “I’ve learned it’s really valuable.” Glick agreed, but lamented about the difficulty of promoting such programs. “That takes money, and since we don’t charge for any of our services, money is hard to come by.” The irony is that there is no other program in the area that provides such a service to local youngsters. “I think it is extremely valuable but extremely underutilzed,” she said. “We are unduplicated.” KidsLine PhonePals can be contacted by calling (800) 578-5100.

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