Teamwork for the environment: Ms. Shanice Shaw, Resident of Jerusalem! Home, assists Mr. Rohan Williams, Technology Manager of IGT Jamaica in unwrapping a Duranta Gold tree for planting at a pre-Labour Day exercise held recently.
A splash of golden green foliage will now greet visitors to the Mustard Seed Communities’ Jerusalem! after IGT Jamaica contributed toward beautifying the entrance to the home for Labour Day 2019. IGT donated 160 Duranta Gold seedlings which were planted by IGT staff and staff of MSC, Jerusalem! on May 16, 2019.
IGT General Manager Debbie Green pointed out that the home has “a special place in our hearts.” In September 2015, Mustard Seed Communities’ Jerusalem! was the first of five Mustard Seed facilities to receive an After School Advantage (ASA) computer centre from IGT Jamaica. “Our partnership with Mustard Seed continues to flourish,” said Ms. Green. “Last November, we opened the fifth Mustard Seed ASA Centre at the Matthew 25:40 home. We remain steadfast in our efforts to use technology to empower our children who face developmental challenges,” Ms. Green added.
Mrs. Darcy Tulloch Williams, Executive Director of Mustard Seed Communities, expressed her gratitude to IGT Jamaica. “The computers have really been a lifesaver for the children,” she said. “IGT has been so generous in setting up the ASA Centre and in following up with us afterwards.” She shared her appreciation for the “wonderfully productive” relationship between IGT and Mustard Seed, noting also that the computers connect the children – who are living with various disabilities – to the outside world. “It has been extremely impactful in their lives,” declared Mrs. Tulloch Williams.
“These plants will bring beauty to the Home,” noted Ms. Green. “They will enhance the surroundings and will positively impact the workers and visitors alike by creating a cheerful environment. At IGT Jamaica, we believe that quality of life is very important, especially for our most vulnerable citizens.”
Pointing to the theme of Child Month in May (“Encourage, Enable, Include ME”), Ms. Green also observed that IGT’s support for the Home, including this beautification project, has helped to create an empowering and safe environment for the children, who are differently abled.
Jerusalem! is located on 14 acres of land near Spanish Town. The residential care facility houses a pre-school, a village layout for older residents, and agricultural initiatives. It provides a secure and supportive environment for over 150 children and adults with mental and physical disabilities. Skills training and formal education is available for residents who wish to follow a more independent way of life.
Mrs. Tulloch Williams added, “I am sending a big ‘thank you’ to IGT from the kids!”
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About IGT’s After School Advantage Programme:
The After School Advantage programme is IGT’s signature philanthropic programme providing computer labs for children ages 5-18 to use for homework assignments during the critical after-school hours. The programme strives to close the “Digital Divide” for at-risk children who are left behind because they do not have the means to access computers at home in today’s increasingly digital society. IGT offers the After School Advantage programme in jurisdictions where we do business. Since 2011, IGT and its subsidiaries have opened 39 After School Advantage centres in the English-speaking Caribbean. IGT has opened 14 After School Advantage Centres in Jamaica and 19 in Trinidad and Tobago. Caribbean Lottery and IGT have equipped one After School Advantage Centre in each of these locations: St. Kitts, St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Barbados; and there are two After School Advantage Centres in Antigua. IGT and its subsidiaries regularly upgrade computer centres and have made 19 further donations in new computer equipment, software, and employee volunteer hours.
About IGT: IGT (NYSE:IGT) is the global leader in gaming. We enable players to experience their favourite games across all channels and regulated segments, from Gaming Machines and Lotteries to Interactive and Social Gaming. Leveraging a wealth of premium content, substantial investment in innovation, in-depth customer intelligence, operational expertise, and leading-edge technology, our gaming solutions anticipate the demands of consumers wherever they decide to play. We have a well-established local presence and relationships with governments and regulators in more than 100 countries around the world, and create value by adhering to the highest standards of service, integrity, and responsibility. IGT has over 12,000 employees. For more information, please visit http://www.igt.com
Nice plant! Team members of IGT Jamaica, Trevor Thompson, Marketing Research Manager (left), Rochelle Brown, Account Development Rep (centre) and Nicholas Spence (second right) , Sales Manager, interact with the team from the Mustard Seed Communities, Mrs. Darcy Tulloch-Williams, Executive Director (right) and Ms. Suzette Dixon (second left), Administrator of the Jerusalem! Home at the tree planting exercise at the Home recently.
Good Job! GPS Coordinator of IGT Jamaica, Ms. Kellye Barwise (left) assists Ms. Nordia Lewis, Resident of Jerusalem! Home of the Mustard Seed Communities, in planting a Duranta Gold tree at a beautification exercise at the Home in Spanish Town recently.
Jamaica Highlights 