NEW BUILDING FOR HILL VIEW EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE CENTRE - News Release - March 19, 2015

THE GIFT OF A SCHOOL: Thanks to funding provided by the Levitetz Family Foundation from the United States, students and teachers of Hill View Early Childhood Care Centre in Old Harbour, Jamaica, recently benefited from a newly-constructed school building with classrooms, a kitchen, bathrooms, an office, a sick bay, a computer room, fencing and play equipment. Representing the Levitetz Family Foundation were Jeff Levitetz (second right) and his son Tyler (far right).

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kingston, Jamaica – March 19, 2015: Janet Jones, principal of Hill View Early Childhood Care Centre in Old Harbour, Jamaica, shed tears of joy on March 11, when Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica and the Levitetz Family Foundation handed over a new school building to her.

At the official handing over of the school’s newly constructed building, Jones said she had prayed for years to receive a new school, to replace the former school building which was in a horrible state. Jones has served as principal for the last 16 years. Her mother, Cynthia Gentles-Dussard, started the school on April 30, 1962.

“We had a lot of challenges,” said Jones, in an interview following the handing over of the new school building by members of FFP and the Levitetz Family Foundation. “The roof leaked during rainy periods, so our teaching aids would get wet and we were forced to reproduce them which was not always affordable. Because of how bad the school looked, people didn’t respect us. They did not even see the need to pay the required school fee at times. It’s as if we were nobodies.”

“I was laughed at and rejected, but today I cry tears of joy for the new building! This is a real blessing,” said Jones.

The new school building consists of three classrooms, a kitchen, bathrooms, an office, a sick bay, a computer room, fencing and play equipment, all paid for by the Levitetz Family Foundation.

Jones said the new building will help her three teachers to nurture and produce well-rounded students.

“The new school will help us in various ways. It is more user-friendly. The ambiance is cool, properly ventilated and the school now looks like a place where you want your child to be. The teaching and learning environment has been enhanced. The new building will also improve the children’s learning, especially in the technical areas such as computer technology, which our students were not exposed to before,” said Jones.

In his remarks, David Mair, FFP-Jamaica’s Executive Director, said the charity organization was pleased to know that the school they were handing over was in capable hands.
“I would like to applaud the efforts of the principal and all the teachers who have been providing quality education to their students despite their struggles,” said Mair.

He went on to thank the donors from the Levitetz Family Foundation, who funded the new building.
“It would be remiss of me to not inform you that Food For The Poor’s relationship with the Levitetz Family Foundation did not commence today. In fact, it started back in 2013 when the Foundation funded the construction of Steerfield Basic School in St. Ann, Jamaica, and in 2014, with the construction of Halkers Hall and Planters Hall Basic Schools in St. Catherine, Jamaica. This makes a total of four schools to have been donated by the Foundation so far to Jamaica,” said Mair.

In response, Jeff Levitetz, President of the Levitetz Family Foundation, said, “Our support is a demonstration of just how much we care about the local community. You are like our extended family. Ms. Jones has been a wonderful custodian of this institution. Of the 50 charities that we donate to as a Foundation, this is probably my favourite. In fact, we hope to donate at least 10 more schools in the near future. We thank all of you for being here and for being so excited about your children’s future. May God bless all of you!”

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For more information, please contact:
Ainsworth Morris, PROComm. Tel: 926-6740 or 375-6136
Petri-Ann Henry, Public Relations Officer, Food For The Poor Jamaica. Cel: 564-2886

NEW SCHOOL FOR HILL VIEW EARLY CHILDHOOD CARE CENTRE: Sharing in the ribbon cutting exercise for the new building for Hill View Early Chldhood Care Centre in Old Harbour, Jamaica, on March 11 were (from left): Kim Mahfood from Food For The Poor (FFP) Inc; David Mair, Executive Director of FFP Jamaica; Janet Jones, principal; Tyler Levitetz and his father Jeff of the Levitetz Family Foundation and Rudyard Mears, Caretaker for South West St. Catherine along with students and teachers from the institution.

THANK YOU, FFP: All eyes were focused on these students from Hill View Early Childhood Care Centre in Old Harbour, Jamaica, as they performed during the handing over of the new school building on March 11. Fully engaged in the performance are (from left) Janet Jones, principal; Tyler Levitetz and his father Jeff from the Levitetz Family Foundation; David Mair, Executive Director of Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica, and FFP Inc.’s Kim Mahfood and Susan James-Casserly (both standing).

THANK YOU, LEVITETZ FAMILY FOUNDATION: Janet Jones, principal of Hill View Early Childhood Care Centre in Old Harbour, Jamaica, is moved to tears as she presents a plaque to Jeff Levitetz, President and Director of the Levitetz Family Foundation, which funded the new school building, during the handing over ceremony on March 11.

THE GIFT OF A SCHOOL: Thanks to funding provided by the Levitetz Family Foundation from the United States, students and teachers of Hill View Early Childhood Care Centre in Old Harbour, Jamaica, recently benefited from a newly-constructed school building with classrooms, a kitchen, bathrooms, an office, a sick bay, a computer room, fencing and play equipment. Representing the Levitetz Family Foundation were Jeff Levitetz (second right) and his son Tyler (far right).