Month: December 2016

PM Lauds Corporate Volunteers

Prime Minister Andrew Holness has hailed the outstanding philanthropic contributions of corporate entities that have served to engender a culture of volunteerism locally.

He said the Government appreciates the contributions by private and public-sector entities and is working to further stimulate and encourage volunteerism in the country.

“As a nation, when we all practise volunteerism, the country benefits,” he said.

The prime minister was giving the keynote address at the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) 2016 National Volunteer Awards Banquet held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston last Thursday.

He congratulated the six awardees at the event, which was held under the theme, ‘Volunteerism as a Catalyst for National Development’.

Volunteerism

The Private Sector Award for Outstanding Volunteerism went to the Wisynco Group; Digicel Foundation received the Non-Profit Organisation for Outstanding Volunteerism Award, while the CVSS Member Agency of the Year Award went to the Jamaica 4-H Clubs.

Justice of the peace and president of the Kiwanis Club of Junction, St Elizabeth, Alethia Peart, received the Marion Ballysingh Award for Outstanding Volunteerism.

The Young Leader Award was presented to 24-year-old Portmore youth leader Neville Charlton.

Former Lasco Top Cop, Nadine Grant-Brown, who founded the programme Eve for Change, received the Public Sector Volunteer of the Year Award.

The highlight of the awards banquet was the induction of international recording artiste and philanthropist Orville ‘Shaggy’ Burrell into the CVSS Hall of Fame.

Burrell is the founder of the Shaggy Make A Difference Foundation, through which he is a supporter of the Bustamante Hospital for Children. The foundation has raised more than $255 million to acquire some 1,000 pieces of medical equipment used to treat more than 77,000 children each year.

http://jamaica-star.com/article/news/20161214/pm-lauds-corporate-volunteers

PM Holness Hails Work of Corporate Volunteers

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PRIME Minister Andrew Holness has hailed the outstanding philanthropic contributions of corporate entities which have served to engender a culture of volunteerism locally.

He said the Government appreciates the contributions by private and public sector entities and is working to further stimulate and encourage volunteerism in the country.

“As a nation, when we all practise volunteerism, the country benefits,” he noted.

The prime minister was giving the keynote address at the Council of Voluntary Social Services (CVSS) 2016 National Volunteer Awards Banquet held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston last Thursday.

He congratulated the six awardees at the event, which was held under the theme ‘Volunteerism as a catalyst for national development’.

The Private Sector Award for Outstanding Volunteerism went to the Wisynco Group; Digicel Foundation received the Non-Profit Organisation for Outstanding Volunteerism Award, while the CVSS Member Agency of the Year Award went to the Jamaica 4-H Clubs.

Justice of the peace and president of the Kiwanis Club of Junction, St Elizabeth, Alethia Peart, received the Marion Ballysingh Award for Outstanding Volunteerism. She is an ambassador for the governor general’s I Believe Initiative in the parish.

The Young Leader Award was presented to 24-year-old Portmore youth leader Neville Charlton, who is the youth director of the Silver Stone Citizens’ Association and also heads his own youth group, Youths Inspiring Positive Change Jamaica. He is also an ambassador in the governor general’s I Believe Foundation and has been impacting youngsters through his Tivoli Gardens Social Intervention Initiative, which seeks to offer mentorship and build self-esteem and character.

Former Lasco top cop, Nadine Grant-Brown, who founded the programme ‘Eve for Change’, received the Public Sector Volunteer of the Year Award. The programme operates through the St Elizabeth Community Safety and Security Branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force.

The highlight of the awards banquet was the induction of international recording artiste and philanthropist Orville ‘Shaggy’ Burrell into the CVSS Hall of Fame.

Burrell is the founder of the Shaggy Make A Difference Foundation, through which he is a supporter of the Bustamante Hospital for Children. The foundation has raised more than $255 million to acquire some 1,000 pieces of medical equipment used to treat over 77,000 children eachttp://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/PM-Holness-hails-work-of—corporate-volunteers——-_83460h year.

The CVSS is the coordinating body for non-government organisation’s involved in social development and has a mission to build the capacity of its members and the wider community and to create sustainable alliances.

 

A New Day For Arcadia Basic School

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RELIEF has come for parents with children enrolled at the Arcadia Basic School in St Thomas as a new building, donated by Food For the Poor (FFP) Jamaica, has not only provided better learning facilities but also eliminated the payment of tuition fees.

The building has allowed the baic schol to merge with the primary school in the area, becoming the Arcadia Primary School’s Infant Department and bringing the former basic school under the direct control of Government.

The six-unit building, which was handed over to the school’s administration recently, has three spacious classrooms, bathrooms, an office, a sick bay and a fully equipped kitchen.

FFP donors Tricia and Matthew Miclette, who funded the much-needed building, said their donation was a way of honouring their deceased father.

“My father came from an impoverished family and never gave up, and continued to rise and I wish for the community of Arcadia and the school to continue to rise above and share in the blessing that the Lord has provided,” Matthew told the attendees at the handing-over ceremony.

The Miclettes expressed gratitude at being able to effect change in the lives of students of the infant department.

“We want to thank the community of Arcadia for giving us this opportunity and we want to thank Food For The Poor for opening our eyes to the level of poverty that exists for us to help,” said Tricia at the handing-over ceremony.

A “prize” is how Principal Mavern Downie Galloway described the new structure, while speaking at the handing-over ceremony. She sang the praises of donors Matthew and Tricia Miclette for funding the construction of the building.

“The passion you have has enabled us to tear down a barrier that limits education in this community. Your gift to us is a gift of love. Your passion has brought hope, and rest assured, hope will lead to success,” said the principal.

Member of Parliament Fenton Ferguson, who also addressed the gathering, lauded FFP Jamaica and its donors for their contribution to the education system with their construction of schools across Jamaica.

“I want to say a big thank you to Food For The Poor and the Ministry of Education for accommodating this new strategic action that I believe will be of great value to the education system as they (students) will have greater access to education.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/News/A-new-day-for-Arcadia-Basic-School_83005

 

200 Golden Agers Feted By Food For The Poor

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Christmas came early for 200 seniors from Clusters D and G at the Golden Age Home in Vineyard Town, Kingston, yesterday. They were treated at the Yuletide festivities that Food For The Poor (FFP) stages annually for them.

Through a long-standing partnership with the Golden Age Home, FFP officially sponsors both clusters at the home. The golden agers at the treat included persons who are challenged both mentally and physically, and seniors with chronic ailments such as diabetes or hypertension. Their smiles were broad as they partook of the goodies, with Christmas carols as topping.

“They look forward to this day the whole year. When we come here, it’s a joy for them to see us because we aren’t just feeding them, we are spending time and interacting with them,” David Mair, executive director of Food For The Poor, told The Gleaner.

He added: “We are here to facilitate anything we can do to uplift their lives, and that’s what’s really great about this job.

 

FEELING OF FULFILMENT

 

General manager of the Golden Age Home Laurette Adams-Thomas told The Gleaner: “I think it’s wonderful! It’s something that the residents and employees look forward to every day. This type of relationship with FFP is not new as their giving is ongoing. One of the things we really appreciate is that FFP is not just a donor or a sponsor, they are a partner.”

She further stated: “Senior citizens are not really given priority in this day and age. We see where more attention is being given to our youth. So I get a feeling of fulfilment when I see that the seniors are properly cared for.”

The Golden Age Home is primarily government funded. It currently houses approximately 460 persons and has 160 employees across seven clusters. It acts as an infirmary and also cares for persons who have been rendered destitute. It is the largest facility of its kind in Jamaica and the Caribbean offering these types of services.

Both Mair and Thomas appealed for further sponsorship and potential partnership from corporate Jamaica to aid in retrofitting facilities such as the bathroom for disabled persons, a bus for transportation, and overall funding and supplies on a daily basis.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20161209/200-golden-agers-feted-food-poor

It’s Party Time! Tips To Help Plan The Best Christmas Event

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Planning a Christmas party can be stressful. According to Jean Lowrie-Chin, managing director of PROComm, with Christmas being one of the busiest times of the year when it comes to social events, diaries fill up fast and this means you should set a date for the event you are planning as early as possible.

The budget is critical. The size of your budget will have a major impact on the type of Christmas party you organise. It will impact everything, from the food to the entertainment and choice of venue.

“Find out how much money you have to spend. You need to know this as early in the process as possible so you don’t start planning something completely unrealistic. Allocate the budget by what is most important to your group. This will depend on the type of company and the expectations of the people who will be attending,” Lowrie-Chin said.

“If it is an office party, make sure your members participate in the preparation of the guest list so you do not make any serious omissions. Also, make sure to design fun invitations that indicate a light-hearted event, and ensure that these invitations are sent out at least three weeks before and follow up to ensure everything is in place,” she added.

Managing director of Market Me Consulting Limited, Lyndsey McDonnough, said it is very important to pay attention to the guest list.

“The people who are invited set the tone before and during the event, so it is important to carefully select who will make it to your list. It is important to also put together the list in advance; and be firm in your decisions so that you don’t leave out anybody who you really wanted to attend,” McDonnough said.

Success is measured differently depending on the event, but the best way to know if you have staged a successful event is to observe your guests. “If you think they are having a good time, chances are they are; and if they are good guests, they will call and say ‘thank you’ and tell you how great it was,” McDonnough said.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20161209/its-party-time-tips-help-plan-best-christmas-event