MORE HELP. Green Island Primary undergoes transformation - Jamaica Observer - May 28, 2015

BY ANTHONY LEWIS
Observer West writer

GREEN ISLAND, Hanover

PRINCIPAL of the Green Island Primary School in Hanover, Vaccianna Moseley, says the recent intervention of donor agencies, such as Food For The Poor (FFP), has transformed the once ailing institution into a school that is now having a positive impact on the lives of students.

"These people (FFP and Couples Negril Resort) have been working miracles at the school," Moseley told Jamaica Observer West.

"The Green Island Primary that was, is not what it is now. It has been changing, and this has impacted significantly on the students, because their confidence levels are up, they are highly motivated, they feel more comfortable in the environment that they are in, and what they expect to get. They really have a renewed sense of pride."


Moseley noted that longstanding issues, such as a leaky classroom or a classroom where "the person next door disturbs you because there is only a chalkboard between both classes," are now being addressed. so "we can now concentrate on what school is all about, which is the teaching/learning process."

The school principal was speaking in light of the FFP's recent sterling efforts to assist the Western Hanover-based institution, which serves communities including Green Island, Cousins Cove, Prospect, Cauldwell, Pell River, Orange Bay, Salt Spring, Logwood, Kendal, Grange and Santoy.

In January, FFP embarked on the construction of two two-storey buildings costing approximately US$50,000. At the end of construction, which is expected to end before the start of the new school year, Green Island Primary is expected to have 10 additional classrooms, literacy, numeracy and music rooms, as well as additional bathroom facilities for teachers.

Last year, FFP repaired the leaky roofs and ceiling at the buildings which house the school.

Prior to the repairs, sections of the roofs were covered with tarpaulin provided by the Ministry of Education.

FFP also tiled some areas of the flooring, repainted the entire school buildings and constructed a gazebo, which is now being used by both parents and students.

Moseley noted that the school, which was constructed in 1920, has grown significantly and was severely challenged by overcrowding.

He said in an effort to deal with the overcrowding, past administrations added new classrooms and used chalkboards as partitions.

"The sad story is that I don't know what happened in the past, but when I came to that school two-and-a-half years ago, I discovered that the classes were overcrowded, there were chalkboards that divided the classes like traditional old time school, it was very hot, and parents did not want to send their children to that school," said Moseley.

He added that when he took over the operations of the institution, just over 300 students were enrolled there. Enrollment, he said, presently stands at 547.

With the ongoing construction by FFP, Moseley pointed out that the aim is not to increase the numbers, but to provide the best facility for learning.

"We don't want it to grow any further, but what we want is for those [students] that we have, we want to provide them with the best facility for learning," he stressed.

Moseley told Observer West that sometime ago there were talks by the Ministry of Education to relocate the school due mainly to the poor state of the physical plant and overcrowding, but "this did not happen for various reasons."

At that time, he added, he told his staff to "make use of what they have until the school is relocated."

"So, we went out in search of help, and Couples Negril came on board, and they did a lot. I guess they are the ones that actually broke this spell, because they came and they helped to paint over the school and to give us some facilities to help the students," Moseley noted, adding that "we went beyond that and got in contact with Food For The Poor and like angels, they came and they were more than happy to help."

Last June, Couples Negril also donated play equipment to the school valued at over US$4,000.

NEW HOUSE FOR FAMILY OF SEVEN - The Sunday Gleaner - May 24, 2015

NEW HOME FOR BRANDON, KEMEISHA & FAMILY: Brandon Grant (back row fourth left) and Kemeisha Sinclair (holding baby), their children and volunteers from the National Commercial Bank Foundation and Food For The Poor Jamaica, standing before the new house that was constructed for the needy family.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kingston, Jamaica – May 21, 2015: Providing a new home for their five children was one goal Kemeisha Sinclair and her common-law husband, Brandon Grant of Over River, St James, believed was impossible to achieve within the next decade of their lives.

Sinclair is a caring mother who does odd jobs for others while Grant works on construction sites to put food on the table for the family. However, the income earned for them to build a new house for their children, aged 12, 11, eight, four and nine months was insufficient.
However, thanks to the National Commercial Bank (NCB) Foundation and Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica, this goal which they had lost faith in, has been achieved.

“One of the main problems we had before, was that our previous house’s roof used to leak badly. We had to set buckets and all of us had to stay on one bed to ensure that we don’t get wet when the rain came,” 25-year-old Sinclair said in an interview recently.

“Another problem was that we had termites eating out the board in the roof, so we used to hang sheets from the roof to prevent the rubbles from falling on us,” Sinclair further stated.

After bearing the burden for years, Grant got tired of the situation, and one day, upon hearing that FFP was constructing a house nearby, he went to the supervisor there, and inquired as to how to apply. Then he filed his application.

After being reviewed, the family was selected for a house.
“I feel good to have been selected. The house is very nice and I appreciate everything Food For The Poor and NCB Foundation has done for me,” Grant said.

Sinclair added, “He did it especially for the children, to make them more comfortable and be in a better place to grow up and be proud of. I feel really happy about the new house because we really needed it. It will certainly be better for us. Thanks to Food For The Poor and the NCB people for the help. May God bless you all.”

According to Jacinth Morgan-Collie, Programmes Administrator, NCB Foundation, her organisation is pleased to know that they could have made a difference in this family’s life.

“This is our way of leading the charge in corporate social responsibility and demonstrating to other organizations that we can do so much more to develop Jamaica one family and one community at a time. The Foundation is proud to have partnered with Food For The Poor in ‘Changing Lives and Restoring Families’,” Morgan-Collie said.

Adding to her comment, David Mair, Executive Director, FFP Jamaica, said more needy Jamaicans such as this family, who are in need of homes, will benefit from the $46.5 million raised from FFP’s recent 5K Run/Walk.

“Food For The Poor wants to assist as many needy Jamaicans as we possibly can. In upcoming months, more desperate Jamaicans in need of houses will receive houses from the funds we have raised. We are also grateful to NCB Foundation for providing funds to construct this house, and other donors who contributed to the funds now available that was raised from our 5K Run/Walk,” Mair said.

-end-

BRANDON GRANT & CHILDREN BEFORE: Brandon Grant and three of his children standing outside the old house they once called home.

THANK YOU FOOD FOR THE POOR & NCB FOUNDATION: Brandon Grant (second left) expresses gratitude to volunteers from Food For The Poor and NCB Foundation during a break they took while constructing his new house recently.

VOLUNTEERS HARD AT WORK: Volunteers from the National Commercial Bank Foundation and Food For The Poor Jamaica painting the house.

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. Cell: 564-2886

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20150524/new-house-family-seven

NCB VOLUNTEERS TAKE PART IN FOOD FOR THE POOR'S RECORD-BREAKING RACE - Jamaica Observer's Social Love - May 19, 2015

Members of the NCB volunteer corp were out in their numbers on May 9 for the Food For The Poor 5K race in Kingston. The team of over 150 staff members and scholarship and grant beneficiaries acted as Course Directional Marshalls, Barriers Marshalls, Water-stop Attendants, Motivators and actual racers.

NCB believes in nation building and often partners with other entities that have similar foci. Food For The Poor Jamaica is one such entity. As a precrsor to the race, on May 2, volunteers from across the company ventured to Spanish Town and Montego Bay to build two homes for less fortunate families. This formed part of the bank's donation to the charity's 5K race. The race was aimed at raising funds to build additional homes for Jamaican families in need. The race raised a record-breaking $46 million in its first staging.

'TARGET REACHED IN RECORD TIME' - Jamaica Gleaner - May 14, 2015

Having completed its 50 schools in 50 months project two years ahead of schedule, Food For The Poor Jamaica (FFPJ), is using the remaining time to build an additional 25 such schools. The first such project was completed in Spicy Hill, Trelawny, recently.

"We are very excited about this initiative," Marcia Hall Walker, social outreach manager at FFPJ, told The Gleaner, "When we came here months ago, we saw a school being housed in a community centre, which was not adequate for the programmes that were being introduced to the students, but today, their dream has become a reality, they are getting a new school.

"We had said 50 schools in 50 months, but three weeks ago, we completed our 50th school in a record time of 36 months and we have given the charge to build an additional 25, and this is the first of that number."

According to Samantha Mahfood, executive director of FFP Canada, the initiative was made possible through a donation of US$85,000 from Sunwing Travel Group, owners of Royalton White Sands through their charity Sunwing Foundation of Canada in partnership with Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation and FFP Canada.

Volunteers from the partnering organistions, as well as staff members of Royalton White Sands and Nexus Tours, gave support to FFPJ contractors between April 20 and 21, to complete the facility which consists of spacious classrooms, proper sanitation, an office, sick bay and kitchen, and will also include a playground for the September 2015 school term.

An elated Angela Williams, principal of the institution, says the new building will not only be a more comfortable environment for the 71 students and three teachers, but also allow the administration to put things in place to meet the Early Childhood Commission standard.

"We dreamed of this moment for so many years, but seeing it becoming a reality, I don't have words to express how I am feeling right now," said Williams, a 32-year veteran of the education system. It will make a great impact on the community."

Armando Pizzuti, general manager of Royalton White Sand, said the initiative will go a long way in empowering the future generation.

"The community was selected because our hotel is in Trelawny and it only made sense to build a school that would also benefit our employees who are living in this region," Pizzuti said, "It is an investment that is not going to stop right here. Building a school is an investment in Jamaica, in our children, but the biggest goal we could achieve is for one of these children to one day have my position at Royalton White Sands.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20150514/target-reached-record-time

'FOOD FOR THE POOR RAISES OVER $46 MILLION FROM INAUGURAL 5K RUN/WALK' - News Release - May 12, 2015

FOOD FOR THE POOR RAISES $46.5 MILLION: Andrew Mahfood, Chairman of Food For The Poor Jamaica, showing off the cheque which indicates the amount raised from the charity organisation’s inaugural 5K Run/Walk held on May 9. The funds raised will be used to build homes for the needy.

Kingston, Jamaica – May 11, 2015: Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica raised over $46.5 million from race registrations, local and overseas donations and pledges by donors from their inaugural 5K Run/Walk which was held on May 9.

The charity organisation made this announcement at Emancipation Park in Kingston, Jamaica at the end of the 5K Run/Walk.

According to Andrew Mahfood, Chairman, FFP Jamaica, his charity organisation is humbled by the outpouring of donations, sponsorships and the real feeling of love that was shown by the participants at the first staging of the 5K which was held under the theme ‘Changing Lives - Restoring Families.’

“With the help of corporate Jamaica, individual Jamaican donors, Food For The Poor Florida and our donors overseas, we have been able to surpass the amount we expected to raise. This is an objective we are extremely grateful to have been able to achieve that will benefit Jamaica, and we are excited to be able to provide 56 new homes for Jamaican families,” Mahfood said in an interview recently.

Approximately 6,000 persons have been registered for houses on FFP Jamaica’s waiting list. David Mair, Executive Director, FFP Jamaica, thanks everyone who registered, donated and participated during the event, because some of these 6,000 Jamaicans will get houses from the funds raised.

“We were very pleased with the support. We were overwhelmed with happiness. We now look forward towards making this an annual event for Jamaica,” said Mair. “We want to thank the sponsors, donors and participants because, from their support, we will be able to build approximately 56 houses for Jamaicans who are in dire need of houses.”

He emphasized that of the $46.5 million, approximately $25.7 million was donated by local sponsors and corporate Jamaica and $20.6 million from Food For The Poor Florida, which promised to match the funds raised from the FFP Jamaica 5K Run/Walk.

The winners for the 5K included: Shane Buchanan, first place male runner; Karlene Blagrove, first place female runner; Paula Sinclair, first place female walker and Ludlow Henry, first place male walker.

The sponsors of the 5K included: European Union, Courts Jamaica, Rainforest Seafoods, Wisynco, The Gleaner, Jamaica Observer, Best Dressed Chicken, Caribbean Producers Jamaica Limited, RJR Group, Digicel, Jamaica Broilers, The Grand Prix, National Commercial Bank and Jamaica Producers.

-end-


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. Cell: 564-2886

LET’S GO! Walkers of Food For The Poor’s 5K Run/Walk setting off after the signal was given for the start of the race on May 9 at Emancipation Park. Thanks to sponsorship from local and overseas donors, the charity organisation raised approximately $46.5 million from the 5K.

WARMING UP: Participants in Food For The Poor’s 5K Run/Walk exercising on May 9 during the warm up session, prior to the start of the inaugural race. The charity organisation raised $46.5 million from the event which will go towards building houses for persons in need.

NEW PHONE FOR FIRST PLACE WINNER COURTESY OF DIGICEL: Shane Buchanan (left), first place runner of Food For The Poor Jamaica’s 5K Run/Walk collecting his prizes and a new phone from Digicel Jamaica’s Sponsorship and Development Manager, Kamal Powell.

EU, THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT: The European Union, the largest registered team of 400 participants in Food For The Poor Jamaica’s 5K Run/Walk, collecting their prize.

'FOOD FOR THE POOR SUPPORTS RUN/WALK' - Corporate Hands - May 7, 2015

Food For The Poor Jamaica, on April 14, donated two bicycles to the Accident and Emergency Ambulance Services, one of the partners with the charity organisation for their upcoming 5K Run/Walk, scheduled for May 9.

The bicycles were donated to the unit, so that their practitioners will have a speedier form of transportation when making an effort to reach participants who become ill while participating on the route of the run/walk.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20150507/corporate-hands-food-poor-supports-run-walk

WISYNCO’S ANNIVERSARY GIFT TO FOOD FOR THE POOR - News Release - April 30, 2015

WISYNCO Corporate Offices, Lakes Pen, St. Catherine - April 30, 2015 – Charity organization Food for the Poor Jamaica (FFP) has benefitted from a sizeable donation of Five Million Seven Hundred and Fifty Thousand Dollars (JMD$5,750,000.00) from WISYNCO Group Limited toward the construction of homes.

In recognition of WISYNCO’s 50th anniversary, which they celebrate this year, the Company committed US$50,000.00 (JA$5,750,000.00) as their Anniversary Gift to FFP. The donation coincides with the FFP 5K Run/Walk scheduled for May 9, 2015 under the theme “Changing Lives - Restoring Families.” Some of WISYNCO’s longest serving Team members were asked to hand over the donation to FFP.

“We at Food for the Poor Jamaica sincerely appreciate this donation and will put this toward new homes. WISYNCO has come on board and we encourage other corporate entities to follow and join our cause; we need all the support as we strive to restore families and change lives.” – David Mair, Executive Director, Food for the Poor Jamaica.

We are grateful to our WISYNCO Team who have all worked tremendously hard over the years to build WISYNCO, and on behalf of our Team and our longest serving Team members, we feel blessed to give to such a great cause that will improve the lives of fifteen (15) families. We look forward to participating in the FFP 5K and encourage everyone to come out and support them [FFP] on Saturday May 9th. – Andrew Mahfood – Chief Executive Officer – WISYNCO Group Ltd.

Food for the Poor will be hosting its inaugural charity 5K Run/Walk on May 9, 2015 towards building homes for persons in need and has indicated that for every US$3,200.00 it raises, their Head Office will match that amount and FFP will build a new double wooden home with sanitation and solar lighting for a family. They hope to raise funds to build 300 new homes. WISYNCO is proud to be on board to support this initiative through sponsorship and team participation.

If you would like more information about this topic, please contact Jermaine Brown at 876-665-9000 or email at jermaineb@wisynco.com.

'LIVING WITH A BURNING FEAR - CAMPBELL TOWN TENEMENT YARDS ARE A DISASTER WAITING TO HAPPEN' - The Sunday Gleaner - May 3, 2015

Some of the houses built by Food for the Poor for fire victims on Goodwin Park Road after the 2009 blaze which left 15 families homeless. (PHOTO: IAN ALLEN)

Residents of Campbell Town in central Kingston are living in fear as any day their houses could be transformed into a blazing inferno, trapping them inside, resulting in loss of life and destruction of the few possessions they own.

The residents who live on Goodwin Park Road and Liverpool Street exist in typical board structures in touching distance of each other, with mainly illegal electricity connections.

Only six years ago residents of Goodwin Park Road experienced first-hand the disaster that a small fire can cause, when a house in their crowded tenement yard went up in flames one Saturday morning.

When the blaze ended, 15 families were left homeless and one person was dead.

"I was here in 2009 and it affected me very bad, because my sister burned up in the fire," Desiree Dawson told The Sunday Gleaner.

"The fire started in her room, but I had put up a piece of board joining her house to mine to prevent persons from going on the roof, and is so the fire spread and destroyed my house," added Dawson.

The international charity organisation, Food For The Poor, stepped in following the fire and built some 26 small wooden houses for the affected residents on the same property.

But the approximately 100 persons who live on the property remain haunted by the 2009 tragedy and live with a daily fear that there could be a repeat.

"Every now and again I think about what if there is a fire again, because the houses are close and made of board, so it doesn't even have to start from my house to affect me," said Dawson.

"They need to build concrete structures around the houses, so we don't have to worry about fire spreading in the event someone else's house catch fire."

And the possibility of a fire is real, as almost all the houses get electricity from some flimsy wires wrapped with black tape and plastic bags.

"When them a fix the wire them, I tell them to try and fix it good so that it don't have any loose end for the wire them to touch together, because you know say if it gash the fire start from there so," said Odetta Lawes, who admitted that the wiring is not done by professionals.

Sean Martin, officer in charge of the Kingston and St Andrew fire brigade, has identified these housing developments as "a disaster waiting to happen".

"The most ideal thing that the fire department would like really is for there to be adequate spacing between the dwellings to allow the fire not to spread too quickly, but sometimes that is not practical because of what they are trying to address," said Martin.

"Those kinds of dwelling most of the times come without the necessary building permits, but because of the nature of how they are put up, then you find that the local authority might not intervene because they would have understood that it is just to fill a particular need that would have been identified. But I tell you, it is a disaster waiting to happen."

Not The Ideal Solution

Member of parliament for the area, Ronald Thwaites, agreed that the Food For The Poor houses were not the ideal solution, but argued that it was the best that could have been done at the time.

According to Thwaites, the living conditions of members of his constituency concern him greatly.

"The nation has not been able to address the problem of housing for low-income earners," said Thwaites, who is also the minister of education.

"Remember, you have the problem of unemployment, and the positioning of housing is not the most desirable one, but they were the only relief houses that were available."

Just next door to Goodwin Park is Liverpool Street, where residents say the housing condition is even worse.

They would love to get even of some of the board houses built by Food For The Poor for the residents of Goodwin Park.

There is one bathroom on the property and that serves more than 50 persons, while a hose attached to a fire hydrant is the main source of water. That is also where most persons go to bathe daily.

When our news team visited, a woman was spotted having a bath in clear view of everyone passing by.

"We would like some of the Food For The Poor house them, because the convenience would be much better, you wouldn't maybe have any bridge light or such, because you would have better facilities, so people would be further motivated," said Patrick Beckford, who has lived at the premises for 22 years.

Rita Thorpe, who has been living in the subhuman conditions for more than 40 years, would love it if the National Housing Trust (NHT) would assist them in improving their living condition.

"I would just love for NHT to provide us with low-income houses for us to pay mortgage that we can afford," said Thorpe.

ryon.jones@gleanerjm.com

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20150503/living-%E2%80%98burning%E2%80%99-fear-campbell-town-tenement-yards-are-disaster