PHOTO: THANK YOU, FOOD FOR THE POOR - Jamaica Observer - September 13, 2015

Food For The Poor Jamaica presented approximately $6 million in bursaries to over 300 needy students and their parents at the organanisation's head office in Ellerslie Pen, St Catherine on August 28. Here, some parents, guardians and children rejoice upon receiving their cheques.
(PHOTO: PETRI-ANN HENRY)

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/magazines/career/Thank-you--Food-for-the-Poor-_19228461


NEWS RELEASE

FOOD FOR THE POOR ASSISTS STUDENTS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kingston, Jamaica - September 14, 2015: Food For The Poor (FFP) awarded approximately $6 million in scholarships and bursaries to 300 needy students at their annual back-to-school presentation ceremony on August 28.

The back-to-school presentation took place in the Chapel of the charity organisation’s head office located in Ellerslie Pen, St Catherine.

A team from FFP, including Susan Moore, Director of Recipient Services, FFP Jamaica, handed over the cheques to parents, guardians and students who were present.

Prior to handing over, Moore told the recipients and their parents that the donations were provided through funding from donors.

“Food For The Poor is grateful once again to Friend of Food For The Poor, our overseas and local donors for their generosity. Without their funding, today would not be possible. FFP’s back-to-school programme was established to assist persons who faced severe challenges with sending their children back to school. For years, the focus of FFP’s back-to-school programme, has been mainly to assist needy individuals with tuition and books. The majority of the persons who benefit are part of other FFP intervention programmes, such as: social outreach, prison ministry, housing, agriculture and fishing,” Moore said.

She further stated, “We receive multiple applications. However, given the limited funding we have had to employ a prioritization method. Therefore, persons who have received previous assistance are included if the student received a B average or higher as outlined in the letter signed and given to the parents or student.”

Paula Byfield, one of the hundreds of parents gathered, said she has been a part of FFP’s back-to-school programme for years, and she is grateful annually for funding.

“I first got help from Food For The Poor a few years ago, when a friend gave me some
-more-
food and materials received from Food For The Poor. I then made a personal request and, since then, my 4 children have been on the back to school programme, which is about three years now,” Byfield said during an interview after she was given bursaries for her children.

“I am a single mother but I try as best as possible to help my children so they have been maintaining A and B averages since they have been on the programme, because involved parents lead to better students. Parents, I encourage you to get involved because you can’t be too busy for your children. Spend less time on the phone and talking to neighbours because spending time with your children will make a difference. I cannot imagine how I would survive without the assistance of Food For The Poor. I look forward to it every year,” she added.

Among the recipients was Trecia Bent, a student of the Jamaica Theological Seminary. She said she was now happy that a bad experience in the past connected her with the charity organization.

“It is with great humility that I thank Food For The Poor for allowing me to be a beneficiary of this wonderful programme. My relationship with FFP started due to an unfortunate incident that my family and I experienced over a year ago, when we became fire victims. We tried to get our life back to some level of normality, but it proved futile because of a serious financial strain that we were going through, mainly due to a series of deaths in the family for three consecutive years,” Bent said.

“Not knowing what to do, I contacted FFP for help. We were given food items, building materials, furniture and even counselling. The assistance offered to me through this programme has filled a huge gap, offset outstanding balances that I have owed and sent me to school which has helped to put my mind at ease for the last academic year,” she further stated.

-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

Prepared by PRO Communications Limited

(PHOTOS: PETRI-ANN HENRY)

THANK YOU, MR. MAIR: Avianne Byfield (center), student of Grants Pen Primary School, proudly accepts a cheque for her back-to-school supplies from David Mair (right), Executive Director of Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica, during the charity organisation’s recent distribution of bursaries. Sharing in the moment is her mother Paula Byfield. Smiling in the background is Myrtle Brown, Social Outreach Officer, FFP.

GIVING THANKS FOR SMALL MERCIES: Amputee, Izett Francis (left), was among the happy parents who benefitted recently from back-to-school grants Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica made to parents at their head office on August 28. Handing him a cheque for his children is Jodianne Darien, FFP intern.

ALL THE BEST, LITTLE ONE: Kishana Alexander, Social Outreach Officer at Food For The Poor Jamaica, congratulates Ackedah White, seven-year-old student of St. John's Primary School and one of this year’s primary school beneficiaries after the handing over ceremony for back-to-school grants by the charity organisation.

GIVING TO THOSE IN NEED: Trecia Bent (left), a final year student at Jamaica Theological Seminary, gracefully accepts her back-to-school grant from Susan Moore, Director of Recipient Services at Food For The Poor Jamaica, during the charity’s annual back-to-school cheque presentation ceremony.

SINGLE MOTHER GIVING THANKS: Karlene Jarrett, a single mother of three and a housing recipient from Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica, displays cheques she received from FFP to assist with her children’s back-to-school expenses.