CHARITY PUMPS $50-M INTO HANOVER SCHOOL - Jamaica Observer - September 20, 2015

HAPPY FACES: These students of the Green Island Primary School in Hanover are quite pleased with the renovation of their school by Food For The Poor and the Yaggie family from the United States of America. (PHOTO: PETRI-ANN HENRY)

GREEN Island Primary School is in an enviable position. When construction and renovation works there are complete in another few weeks, the Hanover school will not only emerge more spacious and better equipped, but it will represent Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica's largest single spend in any one school in the 31 years since the charity has been operating.

The renovations total some $50 million.

The 95-year-old school, which has a population of more than 500 students and 22 staff members, has been in dire need of assistance for some time. It currently operates in a crammed structure which also houses staff offices, a storage area and a kitchen. In has overcrowded classrooms separated by chalkboards, poor ventilation, poor lighting, and leaking roofs, sections of which were covered by tarpaulin.

"Our charity organisation, therefore, decided to adopt this school," FFP executive director David Mair said. "With funding from donors from the United States of America, primarily the Yaggie family, we have been able to go into the school, demolish the zinc roof of the original structure, install new roofing material, new ceiling rafters, lathes and zinc sheets. We also installed dry wall partitions to separate the classrooms, rewired all classrooms, repainted the interior and exterior structures and installed new fans and school furniture," he explained.

Food For The Poor also renovated the existing library, installed new windows and doors, demolished a dilapidated stand-alone structure which housed three classrooms, constructed a two-storey block to accommodate 10 new classrooms and a two-unit kitchen.

"Green Island Primary School is extremely grateful to Food For The Poor and the donors for this facelift we have received. It is a remarkable improvement!" principal of the school, Vaccianna Moseley said.

"We are extremely grateful. Food For The Poor has done so much for our school. At one point, the roof was covered with tarpaulins. Today, partitions have been installed, the existing building has been repainted and retiled and very soon we will open 10 new classrooms. This is a tremendous gift from Food For The Poor and their donors," she continued.

The Yaggie family said they decided to assist FFP with the school upgrade out of their love for Jamaicans.

"We love the people's spirit and are touched by the Jamaican children. Food For The Poor is a wonderful faith-based organisation which is very efficient with the funds we give. They make sure our donations are used specifically as we ask," they said in a statement.

Construction of the project and handover are scheduled for November.

-- Ainsworth Morris

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/career/Green-with-envy_19229445

THANK YOU, FOOD FOR THE POOR: Green Island Primary School located in Hanover received a much needed facelift thanks to Food For The Poor and donors from the United States. Here, students pose in front of a renovated area of the school. (PHOTOS: PETRI-ANN HENRY)

OUR NEW LIBRARY: Principal of Green Island Primary School, Mr. Vaccianna Moseley, and some of his students, happily pose in front of their library which was recently renovated by Food For The Poor Jamaica.

THANK YOU, YAGGIE FAMILY: Representatives from Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica (from left), Susan James-Casserly, Projects Manager; David Mair, Executive Director and John Dahl, Director of Construction Services with Vaccianna Moseley, Principal of Green Island Primary School, sharing a moment with two Yaggie family members, (from second right) Mary and Jamer Yaggie and The Very Reverend Burchell McPherson, Bishop of Montego Bay and Board Member of FFP Inc, during a recent visit to observe the construction and renovation work at the school.

DEVELOPING GREEN ISLAND PRIMARY SCHOOL: David Mair (left), Executive Director of Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica, having a discussion about the development of Green Island Primary School with Vaccianna Moseley (center), Principal of the school and The Very Reverend Burchell McPherson, Bishop of Montego Bay and Board Member of FFP Inc. In the background is a new building for the school, being constructed by FFP and donors, the Yaggie family from the United States.

BUILDING HOMES, TOO: Mary Yaggie, her family and members of her church – St John the Evangelist Church, USA – also participated in the construction of houses for the needy with Food For The Poor. Here, she poses in front of one of the houses with a happy recipient and a child.