A HOUSE AT LAST - Jamaica Observer - August 31, 2015

Saundra Bailey (fifth left), chief operating officer of CGM Gallagher Jamaica presents Kayon (second right) and her father Alva Brown (right) with the keys to their new home. Sharing in the moment are (from left) Marsha Burrell, development and marketing manager at Food For The Poor; Donna Evelyn, CG Gallagher Jamaica HR administrator; Marion Wizzard-Marriott, marketing specialist and Mureen Thomas, managing director.


EIGHTY- two-year-old Alva Brown sat with a smile on his face and watched as Food For The Poor (FFP) workers constructed his new home in Steer Town, St Ann. After years of living in a badly deteriorated house the elderly man and his daughter Kayon were happy to finally have a comfortable dwelling.

Brown could not hide his joy as he constantly expressed appreciation to the sponsors of his home CGM Gallagher Insurance Brokers Jamaica and FFP.

"I am really happy wid it. I am really glad to know you could find someone to do this for me," said Brown. "I hope unuh live forever to do this for others," he said while expressing his gratitude repeatedly.

Kayon, who is the caregiver for her elderly dad, also expressed gratitude to CGM Gallagher and FFP as she told the Jamaica Observer North East she was happy for the goodwill as the house they lived in previously was in a very deplorable condition.

"The condition never proper," she said.

The family received the house through the Food For the Poor 5k initiative in partnership with corporate Jamaica which raised $46 million to build over 50 houses.

"This is part of our 5k initiative which was held earlier this year with an aim to build awareness and to get corporate companies to partner with us to provide homes for the less fortunate," Marsha Burrell, development and marketing manager of FFP explained. She said CGM Gallagher was one of the donors and they travelled with the charity organisation to Steer Town to join in the building and handing over of the home.

Burrell explained that the family was chosen from a database of persons who are on the waiting list.

With many people still waiting to get houses, Burrell said the local charity was hoping more local donors will support the initiative.

"We are on a drive to engage local donors to come on board to build more houses," she said, adding that there is a desperate need for housing in Jamaica.

She added that FFP was changing the lives of many people by giving them a home. Also, Burrell said that people were not just given a home, but that the FFP also introduced families to entrepreneurship in order to aid them in bettering their lives.

"We don't just give them a home and leave them like that but we try as best as possible to provide further assistance that will help to empower the family because we are all about changing lives and restoring families," she said.

CGM Gallagher Insurance Brokers employees were excited to participate in the venture.

"We were very excited that we were asked to provide housing for a family," Saundra Bailey, chief operating officer said.

She explained that CGM Gallagher has been operating in Jamaica for 44 years and always participated in community projects as part of its corporate duties to give back to the community.

The team, she said, was also happy to be on location to participate in the construction of the home which she described as 'a labour of love'.

"It's not just a house, but a home for a family. It takes away worry that there is no shelter... it's projects like these which give us the most joy," she said.

Bailey said she was grateful that FFP reached out to the organisation.

"Many organisations are willing to help, but don't know how, so it is important for organisations like Food For The Poor to reach out," she continued.

Mureen Thomas, managing director of CG Gallagher Jamaica said participating in the project was really an eye-opener.

"We are not just office people; we will get out and help people when necessary," she said.

Thomas said being present for the construction of the house also makes a big difference as it was a learning experience for her team. She also expressed surprise that the house, which included two bedrooms, a bathroom, kitchenette and a patio, was built within five hours.

The company, she said, was not doing it for the publicity, but being able to help a family in need was rewarding.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/A-house-at-last_19223321

MUSICAL GIFTS - Jamaica Observer - August 30, 2015

The 50 young people who were enrolled in Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica's Annual Summer Band Camp for 2015, which was held between June 20 and August 12, react to news that they would be receiving the instrument to which they were assigned. The announcement was made at the charity organisation's Summer Band Camp's Graduation Ceremony held on August 12 at FFP's headquarters in St Catherine. Members of the charity organisation and guest speaker, saxophonist Dean Fraser, encouraged them to use these instruments to develop a skill or career for themselves.

(PHOTO: PETRI-ANN HENRY)

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/career/Musical-gifts_19225115

50 YOUTH TRAINED BY FOOD FOR THE POOR THIS SUMMER - News Release - August 26, 2015

THE GIFT OF AN INSTRUMENT: The 50 youth who were enrolled in Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica’s Annual Summer Band Camp for 2015, which was held between July 20 and August 12, were overjoyed to hear that they would be receiving the instrument to which they were assigned. This was announced to them at the charity organisation’s Summer Band Camp’s Graduation Ceremony held on August 12 at FFP’s headquarters in St Catherine. Members of the charity organisation and guest speaker, saxophonist Dean Fraser, encouraged them to use these instruments to develop a skill or career for themselves.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kingston, Jamaica – August 21, 2015: Fifty youth were trained to play musical instruments - drums, saxophones, flutes, trumpets, clarinets and trombones - between July 20 and August 12, by Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica during their annual Summer Band Camp which was held at their headquarters in Ellerslie Pen, St. Catherine.

On the last day of training, an awards ceremony was held for the youth who were each awarded with the instrument they used during the three-week camp.

Saxophonist, Dean Fraser, was the guest speaker at the awards ceremony. In his remarks, he thanked FFP for creating an opportunity for the 50 youngsters to be exposed to the art of music through which they can garner a skill.

“I was introduced to music at the age of 13, so these participants can definitely learn and grow in music. Many people think there is no future in music in Jamaica, but these children have proven otherwise. I want to encourage the parents to keep an eye on them, help them along and ensure that they practice often,” Fraser said.

In responding to his request, Sharon Shreaves, a parent whose children participated in the programme, said she has ensured and will continue to see to it that her children use their instruments.

“My three children have benefitted from this programme over the years, and are all doing very well in music. They have travelled far and wide performing music. They not only learnt to play one or two musical instruments, but now they can play up to seven instruments. I am grateful to Food For The Poor for giving them this opportunity,” Shreaves said.

Since 2010, Joshua Shreaves has been part of the annual Summer Band Camp programme in which youth from various inner city communities come together to take on the exciting challenge of learning to play a musical instrument.

Thanks to FFP, Joshua is now skilled at playing the saxophone and other musical instruments.

“I have learnt a lot from this programme and I hope to one day give back in this way in terms of teaching others to play a musical instrument and watching them grow over a three-week period. I have also developed good leadership skills by just being part of this band camp. The way Food For The Poor and their donors have invested in my development has given me a passion and motivation to also give back to those who are in need. I really appreciate the support over the years and I know that other students and parents share the same gratitude.”

FFP has been hosting their Summer Band Camp for the last seven years.

-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

LITTLE DRUMMERS: Drummers of Food For The Poor’s (FFP) Summer Band Camp show off their skills with Investigating Officer at FFP, Lancelot Pearson in the background.

THE ART OF MUSIC: Senior members of Food For The Poor’s Summer Band Camp delivering a spectacular performance during the recent graduation ceremony.

SHOWING OFF THEIR NEW SKILLS: Jeffery Brown (left), Food For The Poor’s Summer Band Camp instructor, directing a performance of the youth during the recent graduation.

STAY WITH ME: This group of students, who were trained by Food For The Poor this summer, are playing the tune of Sam Smith’s ‘Stay With Me’ on their flutes.

WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT: Students of the Band Camp listen carefully to the wise words of renowned Saxophonist, Dean Fraser, who was the guest speaker at their graduation ceremony.

CONGRATULATIONS: Saxophonist Dean Fraser, is all smiles as he presents one of the participant’s, Ashley Campbell, with her certificate of completion.

THANK YOU, FOOD FOR THE POOR: Participants in Food For The Poor’s Summer Band Camp pose with their trainers after their graduation ceremony.

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK: Saxophonist Dean Fraser and Band Camp Instructor, Jeffery Brown encouraging young Larkland Brown, Flute Player, to continue his pursuit of music following the awards ceremony.

FOOD FOR THE POOR EXPANDS KINLOSS PRIMARY SCHOOL - News Release - August 26, 2015

IT’S IN GIVING THAT WE RECEIVE: Donors and volunteers from Kisko Products Canada, and Food For The Poor pause for a picture during the construction of a building for Kinloss Primary School & Infant School in Trelawny.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kingston, Jamaica – August 24, 2015: Three new classrooms, a sickbay, a staff room, a kitchen, a sanitation block, playground equipment, fencing and school furniture, have been donated to Kinloss Primary School’s Infant Department, by members of Food For The Poor (FFP) in partnership with donors, Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation and Kisko Products Incorporated, a company which started in Jamaica and which is the largest manufacturer of freeze pops in Canada.

The expansion of the new facilities for the school took place between Monday, August 17 and Wednesday, August 19 in Clarks Town, Trelawny where the school is located. Teams from FFP, Helping Hands Jamaica and Kisko Products participated in the construction work.

The official handing over of the expanded area of the school took place immediately after the construction ended on August 19.

Mark Josephs, President of Kisko Products, who also serves on the board of Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation, said his organisation chose to partner with FFP to expand Kinloss Primary’s Infant Department because there was a great need at the institution, and expanding the facility was an answer to the needs of the administrators and students.

“Kisko was started in Jamaica by my parents. We live in Canada now and we have always felt that it was important to give back. We are very excited to be here and we are happy to have the Kisko staff from Canada join us for this build,” Joseph said.

This is the second school to be constructed by Kisko Products in partnership with FFP in Jamaica. They also funded the construction of Georges Valley Basic School in Manchester in 2013.

Samantha Mahfood, Executive Director of FFP Canada, who arranged with the donors and volunteers, who all travelled to Jamaica to expand the school, encouraged the administrators, students and community members to take care of the new facility donated to them.

“It is a true honour for both Food For The Poor and our Canadian partners – Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation and Kisko Products, to give the 3 to 6 year olds of this community the opportunity to learn in a spacious, comfortable environment,” Mahfood said during her address.

In offering her gratitude to the donors, Jacqueline Shirley, principal of Kinloss Primary & Infant School, said she was excited that the school’s Infant Department could now accommodate 60 students. In the past, only 30 students, could be accommodated.

“It is a pleasure to have such a beautiful building. We were hoping. We were anticipating. We were praying to have a building like this. Now, we have received it and we just want to say thanks to all the donors involved and all the volunteers,” she said.

Chas E Ramson Limited, distributors of Kisko products in Jamaica, have pledged to place Kinloss Infant on their feeding programme for a year to provide the school with a monthly supply of Foska Oats products.

-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

NEW CLASSROOMS FOR KINLOSS PRIMARY & INFANT SCHOOL: Mark Josephs, President of Kisko Products, Canada, the primary donors for the expansion of Kinloss Primary & Infant School in Trelawny and his wife Shelly (centre), were happy to join in a group photo with representatives of the school and construction team at the start of the new building for the school. Sharing in the moment were (from left): George Dickens, Food For The Poor’s Contractor; Telka Holt, Board Chairman of Kinloss Primary and Infant School; Jacqueline Shirley, Principal and Kenyatta Lumsden, Education Officer.

READY FOR ACTION! Volunteers from Kisko Products Incorporated share a moment with children from the community of Kinloss District in Trelawny before assisting with the construction of three new classrooms for Kinloss Primary & Infant School.

CONSTRUCTING KINLOSS’ INFANT DEPARTMENT: Donors and volunteers from Kisko Products and Food For The Poor at work constructing the new building for Kinloss Primary & Infant School recently.

EXPRESSING OUR GRATITUDE TO FOOD FOR THE POOR: Students of Kinloss Primary & Infant School located in Clarks Town, Trelawny performing a cultural item during the handing over ceremony for a new building on August 19.

CUTTING THE RIBBON: Representatives of donors, Kisko, join the principal of kinloss Primary & Infant School Jacqueline Shirley (center) and others for the cutting of the ribbon to officially open the new school building. Sharing in the moment are (from left): Karlene Segree, Senior Education Officer; Shelly Josephs, donor representative and Telka Holt, chairman of the school board.

NEW BUILDING FOR KINLOSS HANDED OVER: Participating in the plaque unveiling for the new building for Kinloss Primary & Infant School are (from right): Mark Josephs, President of Kisko Products Incorporated; his mother, Glenor Josephs; Jaqueline Shirley, Principal of the School,; Telka Holt, School Board Chairman and Karlene Segree, Senior Education Officer for Region Six.

THANK YOU, KISKO! Students of Kinloss Primary & Infant School located in Clarks Town, Trelawny enjoying Kisko products which were distributed to all the children after the handing over ceremony for the new building for the school.

THE JOSEPHS FAMILY, PROUD FFP DONORS: Members of the Josephs family, owners of Kisko Products Incorporated and proud donors to Food For The Poor stand along the corridor of the new school building they helped to construct.

NEEDY MOTHER GETS HOUSE ON HER BIRTHDAY - Jamaica Observer - August 2, 2015

THE MORRIS FAMILY: The Morris family standing in front of the dilapidated house they previously lived in. (PHOTOS: PETRI-ANN HENRY)

BY AINSWORTH MORRIS
Sunday Observer writer

WHEN Karen Morris heard that Food For The Poor (FFP) was coming to her community in McCook's Pen, St Catherine to build her family of nine a new house on her birthday, July 22, she was overjoyed.

According to Morris, a 35-year-old poverty-stricken wife and mother of six daughters and one son, her family desperately needed a house, given that the two-bedroom house that they previously occupied, which was over 30 years old, had deteriorated into an uncomfortable state which she and her husband, Wayne, did not hope for their children to grow up in.

"I have been living here for over 16 years. The house was passed down to us by my father-in-law and it was falling apart. The boards of the floor were rotten, and you literally felt like they were breaking with you when you walked on them and thought you would fall under the house," Morris said in an interview last week.

"It was very bad. We had several problems with the house, but the most devastating thing was that whenever it rained, the roof leaked all over and we had to set buckets and pans across the rooms to mek sure we don't wet up. Sometimes we haffi stay on one side of the room just to not get wet. Most times I felt embarrassed because my husband and I could not afford to give the children a better place to live," Morris further stated.

Given that an elderly person she would often care for to earn an income died recently, and her husband's contract with a company ended over a year ago, their spending power to properly care for their children -- one-year-old Shanoya; eight-year-old Shanice; 11-year-old Jovaughn, 13-year-old Tishana, 15-year-old Calcia and 17-year-old twins Tanica and Tanice -- had deteriorated and they could not repair or rebuild their home.

Amidst all the challenges, Morris did not give up. She submitted an application to Food For The Poor (FFP).

"I went to Food For The Poor and applied for a house. After they called me and said I was chosen, I thought of my mother who was living in a fowl coop at that time, and gave the opportunity for that house to my mother in 2013. Then I reapplied, and when they called and said I was going to get a Food For The Poor house, I was overwhelmed," Morris said.

In addition to receiving a newly constructed two-bedroom house, the family also received furniture, including mattresses, tables and chairs, from the charity organisation and donors of the house.

When asked how he felt about his new home, Wayne said: "It hard fi explain how mi feel right now... It's almost like a dream come true. It is a blessing to tell you the truth.

"The worst time for me was during the rainy season, or if we learn seh hurricane a come, cause mi know how bad things could get for us," he added with a spirit of gratitude.

The construction of the house was conducted by a group of volunteers with FFP Inc, who visited Jamaica between June 20 to 24, and was spearheaded by Dr Lynne Nasrallah, board director, FFP Inc.

Also present with the group were Meg and Stephan Batchelder, founders of The Ryan Batchelder Foundation also known as 'Little Hugs'. In addition to assisting with the construction of the house, they treated the children of the family to stuffed animals, which they donated in honour of their son, Ryan Batchelder, who died in a boat accident one year ago.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Needy-mother-gets-house-on-her-birthday_19221710

(PHOTOS: PETRI-ANN HENRY)

EXPRESSING GRATITUDE TO FOOD FOR THE POOR: Wayne Morris (center), expressing gratitude to Marcia Hall-Walker (left), Food For The Poor’s Social Outreach Manager in front of the house being constructed for his family. Sharing in the moment is Karen Morris.

FOOD FOR THE POOR VOLUNTEERS: Dr. Lynne Nasrallah (right) and her daughter Nicole, painting the veranda of the house constructed for the Morris family recently.

A GRATEFUL HEART: Volunteers equip the newly constructed home for the Morris family. At right is Karen Morris.

KEYS TO MY NEW HOME: Wayne Morris raises the keys to his new home. Sharing in the moment are his family members and Food For The Poor volunteers.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, KAREN! After being presented with the keys to her new home, Karen Morris was surprised with a birthday cake. Presenting the cake is Marcia Hall-Walker, Social Outreach Manager, Food For The Poor Jamaica.

WE DID IT! The team of volunteers from the United States of America and Jamaica, along with staff members of Food For The Poor, who constructed the house for the Morris family.

AN ELATED MORRIS FAMILY: Members of the Morris family standing before their new home which was donated by Food For The Poor (FFP). Sharing in the moment Is Dr. Lynne Nasrallah (second right), Board Member, FFP Inc.

MOBAY RECEIVES NEW BASIC SCHOOL - The Gleaner - July 30, 2015

MONTEGO BAY, St James:

Thanks to efforts from the staff of Maple Leafs Sports and Entertainment Limited and friends and family of Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation, children from Montego Bay, St James, have a brand new basic school.

Work began on the Triumphant Basic School in the Second City on June 29 with a staff complement of 70 volunteers from Canada. The school is expected to accommodate 150 students.

The project was facilitated by Food For The Poor Canada.

"It is such a joy to share in the rewarding work of building a school with two great partner organisations and their volunteers," commented Samantha Mahfood, executive director of Food For The Poor Canada, about the project.

According to her, the children benefiting from the basic school will be thrilled just as much as the Canadian volunteers who made it happen.

Only One In Region

The Triumphant Basic School will be serving the Montpelier community and it is the only basic school in the region.

"The school has been in operation since 1989 and over the years has used a shared space - school classrooms are regularly packed up to allow community use. The school has grown to almost 150 students in a very cramped space that is divided by blackboards and temporary walls. The building has incurred damage to the roof and there is rain damage to the educational supplies and classrooms," Petri-Ann Henry, public relations officer of Food For the Poor Jamaica, told Rural Xpress.

The new school will provide eight separate classrooms, a kitchen with industrial-sized stove and a fridge, a principal's office, an outdoor eating area, a playground with swings, slide and climbing frame.

According to Henry, the school was chosen because of its importance in the area as the main early childhood school serving the community, with a high need for a beautiful, safe space that will allow children to succeed and thrive.

Over the last three years, Food For The Poor has built 50 schools in Jamaica, 10 of which were built by the organisation's Canadian partners. The schools have provided more than 5,000 children across the country with access to safe and happy learning.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20150730/mobay-receives-new-basic-school