Food For The Poor Opens 16Th Basic School Under Its Jamaica 50 Programme

Ellerslie Pen, Spanish Town, St. Catherine | Tel.: (876) 984-5005 | www.foodforthepoorja.com 

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NEW START: The Andrew Mahfood (left) chaired Food For the Poor Jamaica, in association with Kind Hearts Limited (members are in yellow), recently led the upgrading of the early childhood educational fabric of Lluidas Vale, St. Catherine, with the construction of an entirely new school structure for the Top Hill Basic School in the community. Beside Mahfood is John Golding, Principal of Top Hill Primary School. The work done for the Top Hill Basic School serves as the second collaboration involving Food For the Poor Jamaica and Kind Hearts Limited.  The two organisations first worked on the funding needed for the construction of the D. Franks Early Childhood Institute in Manchester, which was officially opened in September 2012.

Lluidas Vale, St. Catherine – August 15, 2013: Food For the Poor Jamaica, in association with Kind Hearts Limited, has improved the early childhood educational fabric of Lluidas Vale, St. Catherine, with the construction of an entirely new structure for the Top Hill Basic School in the community.

The work done for the Top Hill Basic School, serves as the second collaboration involving Food For the Poor Jamaica and Kind Hearts Limited.  The two organisations first worked on the funding needed for the construction of the D. Franks Early Childhood Institute in Manchester, which was officially opened in September 2012.

Ms. Sonia McKenzie Chambers, Principal of Top Hill Basic School expressed gratitude for the new school building:

“I have been working under very difficult and deplorable conditions for a very long time just to ensure that the children get the right start.  This dedication ceremony marks an end to that period because the future for Top Hill Basic School looks brighter now.  I must say thanks to Food For The Poor, Kind Hearts Limited, the Top Hill Primary School, as well as our MP and Councillor for making this all possible.”

 

The new infrastructure for the early childhood educational institution includes appropriate amenities, which regrettably the school did not have before, such as an independent bathroom facility, a suitable sickbay for students, office space, and a kitchen facility.

Due to the lack of these facilities, community residents were reluctant to enrol their children in the institution. The school was housed in a section of the Top Hill Pentecostal Church of God.

Fortunately for the residents of Lluidas Vale and surrounding environs, the construction of a new school structure will lead to better and easier access to educational opportunities for their children.

During his remarks at the Dedication Ceremony, Andrew Mahfood, Chairman of Food For The Poor underscored the role of education in the lives of children:

“Education is very important to us at Food For The Poor and is the key to the development of a child’s values and morals.  This gave birth to our Jamaica 50 Campaign, which was launched to build and upgrade 50 schools in 50 months.  So far, 15 schools have been constructed and officially opened under this project and Top Hill Basic School will represent the 16^th.  We thank Kind Hearts Limited for their sacrifice in fundraising and building this school for the community of Top Hill. Food For The Poor is here to support you with any future projects.” 

Christina Lechler, Director of Kind Hearts Limited, also spoke on the work done for the school. She noted that:

 “The community of Top Hill is such a peaceful and warm area.  When we came and saw the conditions at the school, we wanted to give our support and further add to the development of this community, by helping with the education of these students.  Special thanks to the Member of Parliament, who, through the Constituency Development Fund, donated a significant sum to assist with this project.  Without Food For The Poor, we would not have been able to complete this school.   Thanks also to the FFP contractors who worked with us for the past two days to build this school.  We ask the community to take care of it, be proud of it because education is very important and the key to providing everything that these children will need.”

Food For The Poor (FFP)-Jamaica is the largest charity organization in the country.  Food For The Poor Inc., located in Florida, USA, was named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest international relief and development organization in the United States. 

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Contact:

Dominic Bell or Erica James-King, PROComm, T: 926-6740, 478-5624 or 564-5277

Petri-Ann Henry, Food For The Poor, T:  984-5005 or 564-2886

FOOD FOR THE POOR BAND CAMP 2013 CONCERT THRILLS AUDIENCE

Ellerslie Pen, Spanish Town, St. Catherine | Tel.: (876) 984-5005 | www.foodforthepoorja.com 

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LIKKLE BUT TALLAWAH: Tri-tom player, Kimani Ellis, displays his graduation certificate from this year’s Food For the Poor Band Camp. Ellis, along with the other 49 students of the graduating lot, also received an instrument free of cost from the programme. Seen with Ellis was his presenter, Pearl Barrett. Occasion was the Food For The Poor Band Camp Concert 2013.  The event was held at the non-profit organisation's headquarters in Ellerslie Pen, Spanish Town. Food For The Poor hosts an annual non-residential camp, which teaches children of the inner-city to play musical instruments. The Band Camp was held from July to August. 

HERO: Joshua Shreeves performs an alto saxophone-driven rendition of Hero, much to the delight of patrons at the Food For the Poor Band Camp Concert, held at the organisation’s headquarters in Ellerslie Pen, Spanish Town. Food For The Poor hosts the annual non-residential camp, which teaches children of the inner-city to play musical instruments, during July and August. At the end of the Band Camp, musical instruments are also donated to the children. 

Kingston, Jamaica: On August 8, 2013, Food For The Poor Jamaica, the island’s largest charity organization, held the Food For the Poor Band Camp 2013 Concert, at its headquarters in Ellerslie Pen, Spanish Town, St. Catherine.

The Food For the Poor Band Camp Concert 2013, served as a closing ceremony for the organisation’s annual non-residential camp, which teaches children of the inner-city to play musical instruments. This Band Camp is held during July and August. At the end of the Band Camp, musical instruments are also donated to the children.

The proceedings began with opening statements by Food For The Poor members Sandra Ramsey, Sylvester Lindo, and Jacqueline Johnson, before the organisation’s Chairman, Andrew Mahfood, delivered the Keynote Address.

In his speech, Mahfood highlighted that:

“The Food For the Poor Band Camp started five years ago, and gives children the opportunity to learn to play music during the summer. We have seen 80 graduates of the programme since its inception, with this year’s class having 50 members. The aim is for Food For The Poor to eventually have a choir, which in turn will perform for residents of homes for the elderly, funerals, and other aspects of society.”

The Band Camp graduates performed several items at the event, giving a personalised twist on renditions of popular songs.

The Jeffery Brown led Band Camp performances began with Rukumbine, followed by other pieces such as Mary Had a Little Lamb and My God Is Awesome.

One of the most well received sets was the Ian Crossbourne delivered, trumpet-driven rendition of the gospel favourite, As The Deer.

Strong audience responses were also given to the graduates’ renditions of Michael Jackson’s inspiration number, We Are The World, and Bob Marley’s Redemption Song.

The group’s performance of Redemption Song was described by Chief Instructor, Jeffrey Brown, as “Our Emancipation song.”

Other impressive standouts were the military-marching band hybrid of drumming patterns used for Oh When The Saints, and Joshua Shreeves usage of the Alto Saxophone to play Hero.

To cap off the event’s proceedings, Jacqueline Johnson, Executive Director of Food For The Poor, announced that the recent Band Camp graduates, were being offered a free tennis trial courtesy of Tennis Jamaica.

-End-

Food For The Poor (FFP)-Jamaica is the largest charity organization in the country.  Food For The Poor Inc., located in Florida, USA, was named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest international relief and development organization in the United States. 

___________________________________________________________________________________________

Contact:               

Erica James-King, PROComm, T: 926-6740 or 564-5277

Dominic Bell, PROComm, T: 926-6740 or 478-5624

Petri-Ann Henry, Food For The Poor, T:  984-5005 or 564-2886

Food For The Poor at the 61st Staging of the Denbigh Agricultural Show

Selena Ledgister-Kellier (right), Agriculture and Fishing Manager at Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica, shares information with a participant in the 61^st staging of the Denbigh Agricultural Show held on August 4th - 6th at the Denbigh show grounds in Clarendon. Visitors to the FFP booth (a sample housing unit), were informed about the services of the organization with special emphasis on its agriculture and fishing programmes.  The charity also displayed various vegetable seedlings from a greenhouse attached to the display booth.   Over 500 children and adults visited the booth over the three day period.   Some visitors also benefited from donations of water boots, agricultural tools and seedlings. 

The Most Rev. Bishop Burchell McPherson (2^nd left), Bishop of Montego Bay and Board Director FFP Inc shares a light moment with representatives from Food For The Poor.  The team included (from left) Norvel Bedward,  Agriculturalist, Selena Ledgister-Kellier (left), Agriculture and Fishing Manager and Dwayne Bent, Agriculturalist.