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Tag: outreach
PM Holness Hails Work of Corporate Volunteers
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.
Digicel Jamaica Foundation reaches 800,000
2016 annual report shows strong growth in outreach, impact
Over 800,000 Jamaicans were positively touched by the work of the Digicel Jamaica Foundation during the organisation’s previous financial year, the Foundation said in a news release Friday.
This amounts to nearly one in every four Jamaicans directly or indirectly benefitting from the Foundation’s partnerships in education, special needs, entrepreneurship, and community development.
A local private philanthropic entity, the Digicel Foundation invested US$3.6 million ($460.8 million) over the past year in schools and communities islandwide. The figure was disclosed at the launch of the organisation’s annual report held at the Digicel Building in downtown Kingston on Thursday.
The report highlights that the foundation gave more than it had originally planned for the medium term 2013 to 2016; in some cases tripling initial targets. As examples, allocations for special needs teacher training and the number of social enterprises funded were increased.
An original idea to positively impact the lives of 75,000 Jamaicans under the foundation’s community development agenda, instead recorded a total reach of 214,164 persons.
“The dedicated Digicel Foundation team members were inspired by our partners, local and international, Government, and private sector,” noted Digicel Foundation Chairman Jean Lowrie-Chin. “We saw their resolve and dedication, resulting in higher educational achievements, greater awareness, and respect for our special needs community and extensive job creation.”
In explaining why more lives have been positively influenced by the expanded focus, Chief Executive Officer of the Digicel Foundation Samantha Chantrelle stated: “We received unwavering support from our project partners and beneficiaries which aided us in having a stronger impact on the lives of our fellow Jamaicans.”
The organisation’s commitment to supporting the special needs community continued this year as it funded 14 significant projects across the island in coordination with local and international partners.
The parish of Portland felt the greatest impact, with over 507,000 lives being touched by the work of the organisation. A Centre of Excellence which was constructed to support a range of physical, behavioural and intellectual special needs was the centrepiece of the various projects executed in the parish over the past year.
Other landmark ventures included: the Ramps in School Programme; the provision of 32 mobile science laboratories to as many high schools; the training of teachers of students with special needs; and partnerships with several community groups to expand entrepreneurial activities.
In its 12 years of existence, the Digicel Foundation has successfully implemented 737 projects at a cost of over $3 billion;as the organisation continues to work with dedicated partners in order to achieve Jamaica’s development goals.
The Digicel Foundation, a non-profit organisation, was established in September 2004 and is committed to supporting the development of Jamaica through a number of socially impactful projects.
The main objectives of the Digicel Foundation include driving efforts to achieve Jamaica’s Millennium Development Goal of increased literacy; the use of information and communication technology (ICT) tools and equipment in primary schools and increased training for teachers; enhancing the care of special needs children across the island in a variety of ways, including training for teachers; and the pursuit of sustainable projects and partnerships for community development.
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Digicel-Jamaica-Foundation-reaches-800-000_77299
GraceKennedy Donates To Hurricane-Hit Haiti
Hurricane-ravaged Haiti is to receive a donation valued at over J$2.5 million in non-perishable food items from GraceKennedy Ltd.
This donation is bound for Haiti through Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica, which recently made a public appeal for donations following the direct hit from Hurricane Matthew earlier this week.
Don Wehby, group chief executive officer of Grace-Kennedy Ltd, said that the company responded immediately to appeals for help for Haiti after seeing the extent of the destruction that occurred.
“What I have seen online and heard from Food For The Poor about the situation really breaks my heart. Jamaica escaped this storm, but several countries have really been hit and we all just have to come together and do what we can to bring relief at this time,” Wehby said.
He added: “Hurricane Matthew has again reminded us of how vulnerable our region is to the risk of extreme weather events. A different level or normal will be required of us all as we work out how to plan for these natural disasters, some of which, like Matthew, won’t follow normal or expected patterns.”
Among the items being donated are crates of porridge mixes, corned beef, sausages, mackerel, cheese, beans, juices and water products.
GraceKennedy staff are also planning to collect items of clothing and other essentials to send to Haiti through FFP Jamaica.
‘Needs Very Vast’
David Mair, executive director for FFP Jamaica, said the needs are so vast that all contributions are welcomed.
“We are touched by GraceKennedy’s response and thank the staff and leadership for this donation. This will help meet the very vast needs that are coming to our attention. While we are aware of the number of lives lost and have seen images of the damage, a full assessment is yet to be made, and so the loss of lives and damage are likely to be so much greater. We continue to be grateful to all Jamaicans who are making every effort to lend a hand at this time,” said Mair.
Other forms of contribution from GraceKennedy’s subsidiaries and partners are also under way.
Hi-Lo Food Stores has set up collection points at its 13 locations and is supporting FFP’s appeal for non-perishable items. All donations will be collected by FFP, which is organising shipment of items to Haiti. FFP’s Haiti office will handle distribution there.
http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20161008/gracekennedy-donates-hurricane-hit-haiti
FFP DONATES OVER $400,000 WORTH OF BLOOD PRESSURE KITS & STETHOSCOPES TO THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH
On August 24, Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica handed over medical instruments valued at over $400,000 to the Ministry of Health as part of the charity’s ongoing support for the health sector in Jamaica.
The donation of 400 single stethoscopes and 400 blood pressure kits with stethoscopes was accepted by the Minister of Health, Dr The Honourable Christopher Tufton, in a ceremony held at FFP’s office in Ellersie Pen, St Catherine.
David Mair, Executive Director of FFP, said this donation signals a continued commitment of the non-profit organization to play their part in improving Jamaica’s health system.
“Food For The Poor is pleased to provide this kind of support to the Ministry of Health as part of our continued efforts to improve patient care. We recognize the importance of good health and so we want to maintain the partnership with this donation of blood pressure machines and stethoscopes,” said Mair.
Minister of Health, Dr Tufton expressed gratitude to FFP Jamaica for their commitment to the ongoing partnership with the Ministry of Health and said the support would be beneficial to patients islandwide.
“The Ministry of Health appreciates this kind of partnership with Food For The Poor that will significantly benefit the Jamaican people. A number of patients are examined on a daily and yearly basis hence this type of top class equipment will be a useful addition,” Minister Tufton said.
He added, “We have over 320 clinics and over 23 hospitals plus hundreds of medical practitioners who utilize blood pressure machines and stethoscopes on a daily basis so the items will definitely be needed.”
This donation closely follows a contribution earlier this month by FFP Jamaica of 105 electric hospital beds and 250 wheelchairs to the Ministry of Health for distribution among hospitals across the island.
HOMELESS MOTHER GETS HOUSE FROM FOOD FOR THE POOR
Not long ago, 31-year-old Latoya Williams was facing the reality of being homeless and unemployed with four children, and local authorities threatening to take her children from her. Now, she says she has much to give thanks for, primarily because Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica recently gave her a house.
Williams, who now resides along St John’s Road in St Catherine, was evicted because she was unable to pay her rent. With nowhere to live, authorities told her they would take her children from her and place them in care of the State. After being told this, Williams developed a plan to get a house.
“I used to buy and sell downtown with goods such as bag juice and cookies, but I haven’t been selling since the year began because things got hard on me. I would borrow to buy the goods, and when things don’t turn over with a good profit, I can’t repay,” Williams said in an interview.
“Then I couldn’t pay the rent or send the children to school, so I got evicted. With all of what was going on, I went to Food For The Poor with the hope of applying for a house and getting it. I was told I needed a letter from a Justice of the Peace and my grandmother who owns the land the house was built on, so I went and got those and submitted it, then they selected me for a house.”
FFP Jamaica along with Rainforest Seafoods Limited built the house for Williams during Holy Week.
“I am so grateful. Mi did think mi did ina one gutter weh mi couldn’t come out of, but with the house Food For The Poor gave to me, is like I am coming out of the gutter. All I need to do now is start sell again, and I have another plan for that. I just need a freezer and go downtown and start buy the bag juice them in a big bulk and store them in the freezer,” Williams said.
David Mair, Executive Director, FFP Jamaica, said when the case for Williams was presented to his team, they could not resist assisting.
“When you saw her story, you would have been heartbroken. Immediately after she was evicted, she was literally on the street with her children. She came to us, presented her case and showed us the documents regarding her eviction and her case with the court and her children. We had to assist her, because without a house, she would have lost her children,” Mair said.
He further stated, “Our first 5K Run/Walk which was held in 2015 had a focus of raising funds to build houses for mothers who are in dire need of houses. Our 5K was also planned for May, on the Eve of Mother’s Day, because we see a greater amount in applications being submitted by mothers who need relief assistance along with their children. Williams is one of those mothers. It is so fitting that she has gotten a house two weeks before we launch our next 5K Run/Walk on April 5.”
Rainforest Seafoods are the sponsors who donated the funds needed to construct the house. Roger Lyn, Marketing Manager of the company, said when Marsha Burrell, Development/Marketing Manager, FFP Jamaica called and presented the case to him, his team could not resist assisting.
“When you heard and saw the circumstance of this family, you would have been heartbroken. We had to help. It was a no-brainer, because Rainforest Seafoods is all about family, and keeping families together. We have done work with Food For The Poor before and we were proud to partner with them in building a house again,” Lyn said.
Williams expressed gratitude to both organisations for helping her.
“I am so grateful. I could not afford a house because I started out wrong in life, and my parents could not afford to give me a good education. When I was to do Caribbean Examination Council subjects, my mother seh she can’t pay fi dem. Dem fi send mi home. After leaving school I have to be buying and selling. I made mistakes, but I want better for my children,” the single mother said.
Jamaica Highlights 