Category: Community Development

Food For The Poor Looks To Break New Ground

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Charity eyes special emergency-response team

Requests for emergency assistance for victims of natural disasters, fire and other tragedies are a feature of the workday for employees of Food For The Poor (FFP). However, one such phone call from Dr Omar Davies, member of parliament for St Andrew South, about a fire in Arnett Gardens late last year presented some challenges.

The call came about 7 p.m. on Christmas Eve, a Saturday, and, with the following Monday and Tuesday being public holidays, there would be no one in office for at least the next three days.

With the appeal being for immediate assistance for the fire victims – mattresses, food and clothing at least – the agency responded.

EMERGENCY RESPONSE

However, FFP Chairman Andrew Mahfood, acknowledged the situation highlighted the need for a specialised emergency response team to deal with such situations.

“I would actually like to see us be able to do that as well, because we are dealing with a situation where the people don’t have a place to sleep tonight. So if we can even get them some emergency supplies like mattresses, or clothing so they can at least get on their feet the next day, that would be good,” he told The Gleaner.

Proof of ownership impacting assistance in inner-city areas 

Andrew Mahfood, chairman of Food For the Poor, says the organisation’s ability to assist with the building of homes for persons in the inner city is being stymied by the beneficiaries’ inability to provide proof of ownership of the land or legal access to occupy the premises.

“It is one of the things that delays our effort considerably. If we were able to go into an area like Arnett (Gardens), where people have been living for many years, and just rebuild, the process would happen quicker, but we require proof of land ownership or lease, to show that they have the right to be on the land, to show that the taxes have been paid on the land. We need to ensure that our recipients have the right to be on the spot that we are building,” Mahfood said.

“What we’ve found in the past is that if we don’t follow those guidelines and regulations, we could end up building on lands that somebody else owns and then before you know it, somebody else comes and says, ‘You have to come out of that house, it’s my land’. But if we can somehow find a way where the lands in the inner city, the people can get the right to them, somehow it will speed up our efforts considerably.”

Charity organisation seeking to engage in community-development projects

Food For The Poor (FFP) is looking to partner with the State in community development in a more sustainable way, involving the construction of houses, community centres, places of worship, schools, etc.

“(The State) could give us plots of land where we can encourage community-type living and farming and co-operative-type. We’ve approached them and we’ve gotten initially some good feedback and it’s something we’re gonna have more discussion on. Agriculture presents a great opportunity for us and the people, given Food For The Poor’s ability to fund agriculture and water harvesting where you can put multiple tanks together with a source and feed it. Food For The Poor can, out in those tanks, we can put in pumps,” Food For the Poor Chairman Andrew Mahfood disclosed.

The charity organisation is now looking for recipients who are serious about getting into agriculture, especially with donors in the United States opting more to fund income-generating sustainable projects in agriculture, with water harvesting and sanitation issues a priority.

Said Mahfood: “We’re looking for areas where we can put in big water projects because donors in the United States are very interested in water, in being able to provide water and being able to provide sanitation. Those two areas we are finding our donors gravitating more towards. So let’s say that we have this project in a community, there is no running water. We can go and put in 30,000 gallons but once we confirm that there is a need, the office in Florida will then go to its donors and circulate it and get it funded.”

LOCAL BUSINESS SUPPORT

In the area of housing financing, which caters to individuals or families, more local businesses are taking an active interest by sponsoring 50 per cent of the cost of a standard Food For The Poor dwelling, which now stands at US$7,200. The charity organisation is quick to match any amount of such offers with a 50 per cent contribution.

Over the three-and-a-half decades of helping the less fortunate, political interference in its operations has been a non-issue, which Mahfood attributes to an appreciation of its stellar service.

“Our politicians and our Government, I think, do recognise that we can play a big role for the country and for them as well. If an MP is able to lobby Food For The Poor to do a lot of work in their area, it helps them. We don’t work with any particular MP. We want to work with every single MP in both parties. I believe that Jamaica, through the organisation, has a huge potential to do a lot more projects and we see those projects being funded in other countries. So one of the things that we have decided to for this year is to really mock up some very big projects and go after those donors in America that are funding the very same projects for other countries.”

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20170130/food-poor-looks-break-new-ground

Food For The Poor assists corn farmers

For hundreds of farmers across Jamaica, a single bag of corn seeds represents a great improvement not only for the quality of their harvest, but also for the betterment of their lives.

More than 1,200 bags of corn seeds were donated by Food For The Poor Jamaica to be distributed through the Jamaica Agricultural Society and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority across all parishes.

Omar Dennis, a farmer of 15 years, has seen positive changes since he received the seeds in August 2016.

Dennis, who is the sole breadwinner of his family, said reaping the produce from the donated corn seeds has benefited his family. In the past, he sometimes struggled to send his two children, ages 8 and 11, to school due to lack of funds.

“Now I am sure that I will be going home with money for my family. It feels good to know that I am able to provide food for them and I am sure that my children can go to school,” Dennis said.

Dennis expressed gratitude to Food For The Poor Jamaica for providing the seeds, which he could not afford to buy.

Corn seeds are very expensive. One bag of corn seed would actually cost us approximately J$30,000, so it is really a great venture,” he added.

Dennis Roberts, who has farmed for 30 years, expressed happiness with the high-quality crop that the corn seeds produced.

“It’s among the best quality that we have seen since planting corn for over the last 20 years,” he said.

Roberts added that the corn was able to survive the drought and resist diseases better than what he had grown in the past.

He also praised the charity for its contribution to farmers.

“We will save as a result of not having to purchase fertilisers, which means we will earn a greater profit,” Roberts said.

David Mair, executive director of Food For The Poor Jamaica, said the charity and its donors recognise the importance of agriculture to Jamaica’s development.

“Distributions such as this and our continued support of members of the agricultural sector represent our belief that agriculture is critical to Jamaica achieving socioeconomic growth,” Mair said.

Food For The Poor Jamaica contributes to farmers across Jamaica through its agricultural ministry and a number of initiatives.

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Source: http://jamaica-star.com/article/news/20170130/food-poor-assists-corn-farmers

Food For The Poor Going Places

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In 35 years of operation, the role of Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica, as well as the scope of its operations, has grown significantly as the charity continues to enable and enrich beneficiaries within and far beyond local shores.

As news of the humanitarian crisis in Haiti spread, following the widespread devastation by Hurricane Matthew last October, Jamaicans turned to FFP as a channel for their good intentions, a situation which Chairman Andrew Mahfood admits caught him off-guard.

“The Haiti relief, that was amazing. We started to get a couple calls right after the hurricane, and I am not sure if it’s because of how close it came to us, but the outpouring of support from Jamaica to us, to give to Haiti, was something we hadn’t seen before. Seventeen containers were shipped and J$12 million raised,” Mahfood told The Gleaner.

From humble beginnings at Emerald Road, Kingston, from which goods brought into the island through the Catholic Relief Service in 1982 were distributed, the phenomenal growth of the local chapter of this charitable non-profit organisation has been consistent with that of its parent company. Food For The Poor is the largest charity organisation in Jamaica, with Food For The Poor Incorporated, located in Florida, United States of America (USA), being the largest international relief and development organisation in the USA, assisting the poor in 17 Latin American and Caribbean countries.

“We did start as Food For The Poor, giving away food, but now the objectives of the organisation are so vast – housing, medical, social outreach, education, prison ministries, water and sanitation and agriculture,” the chairman explained.

He offered an explanation as to why more donors are looking to share of their bounty through the non-denominational entity. “I think what is happening is that we are connecting more with corporate Jamaica and through the good efforts of the media and the reporting on all the stuff that we do, that connection is growing. They are seeing the wide range of things that we are doing.”

People flock from far and wide to the head office of Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica at Ellerslie Pen, Spanish Town, in St Catherine, as soon as the doors open, from Monday to Friday.

There, some 135 staffers comprising what FFP Chairman Andrew Mahfood describes as “a good team out there” attend to the varied requests for assistance.

Investigators are the first responders, whether it’s a request for immediate help from a fire victim or to build a home for a family.

“Somebody has to actually go and visit the premises and say, ‘Yes, we’ve been to the location and we’ve seen the conditions they live under.’ So we get the picture and all of us see that it’s a genuine case,” Mahfood told The Gleaner.

Individuals seeking help may contact the organisation directly or through a church in their area, a pastor, justice of the peace, or member of parliament. However, FFP is working to help Jamaicans to help themselves, as well as others, Mahfood explained.

“The organisation has always felt that we have to get our recipients self-sufficient and into projects that are sustainable for them to provide an income. We believe that Jamaica provides a great opportunity for recipients to come together – either in a community and do a big agricultural project. Food For The Poor has the ability to fund those projects – put in homes, to put in, say, a community centre, to put in a place where people can go and pray, as well as schools. These are things that it can do in these communities.”

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20170130/food-poor-going-places

Digicel Foundation Gives Old Harbour High Mobile Lab

Old Harbour High School recently recieved a Mobile Science Laboratory as part of their prize for winning the 2016 Television Jamaica’s All Together Sing Competition.

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Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170126/digicel-foundation-gives-old-harbour-high-mobile-lab

St Mary Tech excited after computer donation

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St Mary Technical High School suffered a devastating blow in June 2016, when its library was razed by a fire.

The school’s need was realised when staff members of Digicel nominated the school to be the beneficiary of a set of computers under the Digicel Foundation’s Get Gifted Campaign.

“You came to our rescue. We suffered a major fire which destroyed everything in our library last year; our books, computers, chairs and desks. This gift from Digicel Foundation is a dream come true because we have written so many letters to a number of corporate companies with no response,” said Glascine McCormack-Lazarus, principal of the school.

Sannejah Henderson, head boy, said, “I know these computers will be very useful as students have to be typing their school-based assessments and trying to carry out research with limited access to a computer or Internet. This is will have such a positive impact for all of us. We are really excited.”

SHARING A COMPUTER

Since the fire, students preparing to sit CSEC examinations in information technology and electronic document preparation and Management have had to share the use of one computer in the library if they did not have a personal computer at home.

Heather Moyston, board director of the foundation, last week led a team to St Mary Technical and surprised the school with the donation of four brand new desktop computers.

“This school has been serving the parish with distinction for over half a century. It is an honour for our team to partner with the staff and students of St Mary Technical High to build on their foundation of excellence,” she said.

Source: http://jamaica-star.com/article/news/20170121/st-mary-tech-excited-after-computer-donation

22 Prisoners Get Early Release – Food For The Poor Pays Fines For More Non-Violent Inmates

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Twenty-two inmates of the island’s prisons are now back with their families, having secured early release through the generosity of donors of the international relief and development organisation, Food For The Poor.

For more than 18 years, Food For The Poor has secured the release of non-violent offenders in Jamaica by paying their fines at Christmas and Easter. This act of kindness is also done for inmates in Guyana, Haiti, and Honduras.

Every year, poor Jamaicans are imprisoned for minor, non-violent offences because of their inability to pay their court fines, even if the amounts they are fined are minimal.

PRAYERS ANSWERED

The prayers of a former inmate in the St Catherine Adult Correctional Centre were answered when he was told that he would be freed late last year after being unable to pay his fine. Most of his money had been used to take care of his sick mother.

“It’s always just me and my mother. When I actually realised that I was going to be locked up, I couldn’t believe that this was happening to me but I prayed a lot and asked God to just keep me out of trouble and keep me sane so I could one day see my mother again,” said the non-violent offender.

According to the former inmate, Food For The Poor’s kindness in paying his fine has renewed his belief and hope in God.

“Food For The Poor coming to pay my fine today so that I can go home to my mother proves to me that God is real,” added the inmate.

Another former inmate broke down in tears when her name was announced as one of the persons whose fines had been paid by the charity.

“When I heard my name, I thought I was being asked to do an item on the programme. Little did I know it was much more than that. When the announcement was made the tears just started to flow, and I couldn’t stop crying,” she said.

David Mair, executive director of Food For The Poor Jamaica, said the prison release tradition is one that the organisation intends to continue because of the impact it has on inmates.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170122/22-prisoners-get-early-release-food-poor-pays-fines-more-non-violent-inmates

Food For The Poor assists family, elderly with houses

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A Portland family and an elderly man are the latest beneficiaries of houses from philanthropic organisation Food For The Poor (FFP) after their plight was highlighted by the Jamaica Observer North East in 2015.

The family of four, which includes a wheelchair-bound man, was desperately in need of a house to get out of the crammed space they shared in the back room of a relative’s house in Waybridge, Portland, for years.

Observer North & East reported in 2015 that Jacqueline Thompson, her two daughters and her physically challenged son all shared a single bed in a room which an aunt allowed them to stay in, after they had been living in the garage for some time.

At the time, Thompson stressed that she needed help to get back on her feet.

“I am feeling happy about getting my house. I thank God as I can’t leave him out,” she said.

Thompson also thanked justice of the peace and pastor of the Church of God in Christ at Long Road, Roy Titus, who tried desperately to get assistance for the family. He described their situation as “dire,” then.

She also thanked the Ministry of Housing for the land space, Food For The Poor for the house, the Observer for highlighting her need, and the parish council and the National Insurance Scheme for their assistance.

“I am a happy person now. It was a long and horrible wait; I cried sometimes. The children are very happy, especially my son Okeno,” Thompson shared.

The house, which is located at Darlingford Housing Scheme in Manchioneal in the parish, was handed over last October. Thompson said FFP has also pledged to donate furniture.

A visually impaired elderly man was also the beneficiary of a house from FFP.

Urnal Taylor lived in a dirt-floor, one-bedroom house in Boston in the parish for years, before FFP read of his plight in the

Observer and presented him with the keys for a new house.

“This house is beautiful as much as mi can’t see it. I am comfortable and mi have space. Thanks to all the people who helped me, and the gentleman here, Pastor Titus. The blessings on his shoulders can’t come off. Welcome; welcome,” he said with a broad grin on his face.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/regional/Food-For-The-Poor-assists-family–elderly-with-housesObserver-North-and-East-article-spurs-action——-_87286

My Desire Is To Serve!

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To bring about the kinds of changes that will help people live healthier and more productive lives, volunteer organisations listen and learn to identify pressing problems that get too little attention.

This is why community service is important. Volunteerism teaches compassion and understanding, and has emerged through a process of identifying what is needed to assist people and where the greatest impact can be achieved.

Dane Richardson, now at the helm of Digicel Foundation, an organisation that has invested $3 billion in communities islandwide, is no stranger to volunteerism. Although earlier in his life he began a trajectory in pursuit of medicine, Richardson always felt there was something missing but could not immediately identify what it was.

It was while teaching at the Portmore Community College that he began connecting the dots towards his true calling, while pushing for solutions to assist students who needed remedial work.

“There were students at that level, but they could not read. Then I realised that the school itself had broader issues, where students were matriculating but not transitioning. This is where I was thrust into programme management and administration and I started designing programmes and meeting with different key stakeholders while trying to solve these issues,” Richardson said.

Having carved out a definitive career goal, Richardson joined the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life as programme development and grants manager. The Jamaica AIDS Support for Life is one of the leading health-care agencies in Latin America and the Caribbean, addressing the socio-economic challenges facing, and advocating for, Jamaicans living with and affected by HIV and AIDS, STIs, and intimate-partner violence.

According to Richardson, his experience at Jamaica AIDS Support for Life assisted him in understanding and acknowledging the capacity each person has to develop their true potential.

“I realised there is a lot more that can be done here in Jamaica. I was thrust more deeply into dealing with social issues and working with persons dealing with other issues who are less fortunate than us,” Richardson said.

“There are persons who are facing real and significant challenges in our country, and my eyes were opened to the fact that many Jamaicans are looking for someone who can be their voice and looking out for their best interest. I was able to take stock of my own life and do things to help others, not just myself,” Richardson said.

GIVING BACK

With the Digicel Foundation built on the premise of giving back, Richardson joined the organisation in 2013 as programme manager with primary responsibility for education. In 2015, he was promoted to head of programmes and a year later, he was again promoted to director of operations.

As programme manager for education, Richardson intensified the efforts of the organisation to empower teachers to improve the literacy and numeracy levels among students in primary schools, through the use of information communications technology (ICT).

“Digicel Foundation works in three areas – education, special needs, and community development. We cannot solve all the problems, however, we can galvanise support from other partners and, most important, the Government to ensure sustainability. At the end of the day, Jamaicans are the ones that will benefit,” Richardson said.

“We have had many achievements across the island over our 12-year history. At this juncture, we intend to look back at what has worked, what has not worked and build going forward; and really look at what is relevant to make the foundation stronger,” he added.

The Digicel Jamaica Foundation is a non-profit organisation that utilises funds on a charitable basis and remains a vested partner in the social development of communities by increasing access for the special-needs community to improve their quality of lives, by expanding access to education through technology, by supporting and empowering survivors of domestic violence, and by fostering a spirit of self-reliance through sustainable enterprise within communities.

“My aspiration has always been to head an organisation and to put in the machinery to effect change. Every aspect of what will transpire is team work, and we will work together as a team to effect necessary changes in the lives of Jamaicans,” Richardson said.

keisha.hill@gleanerjm.com

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170120/my-desire-serve

Food For The Poor Brings Joy To Golden Agers

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Executive Director of Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica David Mair (right), feeds a resident of the Golden Age Home during the Christmas Treat hosted by his charity organisation recently. Sharing in the moment is Mishka Townsend-Brown, assistant general manager, Golden Age Home. Approximately 150 residents were fed and treated with care packages by FFP Jamaica. The treat for the elderly at the Golden Age Home was one of several treats held by FFP Jamaica to commemorate the festive Christmas season last year.

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Residents of the Golden Age Home enjoy their lunch provided by members of Food For The Poor during their annual Christmas Treat.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20170112/food-poor-brings-joy-golden-agers

Twins Excelling Despite Difficulties

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Despite being diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and Cognitive Impairment, exceptional twin sisters Shantoi and Samoi Miller, all of seven years old, are outstanding and inspiring students and the celebrated shining stars at the Early Stimulation Programme (ESP) Centre of Excellence.

At this young age, the two girls have faced severe odds, overcome several major health and development obstacles, and are now beacons of hope, showing the value of the early stimulation in the lives of children with special needs.

Enrolled at the stimulation centre over the last three years, their teachers Aunties Melissa Robinson and Norma-Jean Powell quickly realised that the girls needed extra attention to develop their skills and talents.

Issues such as forgetting letters and numerals, not being able to keep up in class, and refusing to eat plagued the girls’ development.

But help was on the way, as Digicel Foundation stepped in and provided critical funding under a programme designed to assist children like Shantoi and Samoi.

The poundation, having assisted some 34,000 persons with special needs since its inception, saw the Early Stimulation Programme as a right fit for the organisation’s input.

The school was able to move into a newly renovated environment with additional tools for intervention. The teachers were more motivated to deliver better results for each child, and the twin girls went from being shy and reserved to outspoken and ready to face new adventures.

Their excitement about going to school could not be contained and they developed a level of confidence that made them no longer worried about what people had to say about their special needs.

At the end of their programme, they were both chosen as valedictorians for their graduating class.

Digicel Foundation chairman Jean Lowrie-Chin, in celebrating the achievement of the twin girls, believes that there are many other children like Shantoi and Samoi who can benefit from the efforts of the organisation.

“It really warms my heart when we are able to help, and to see how lives can be changed because of our partnerships.” Lowrie-Chin said.

Shantoi and Samoi are inspiring classmates, parents, teachers and partners with their contagious warmth and can-do attitude towards life.

The ESP Centre of Excellence is among 45 special-needs projects benefitting from some US$11 million in funding from the Digicel Foundation.

http://jamaica-star.com/article/news/20170109/twins-excelling-despite-difficulties