A FAMILY OF 5 GETS NEW HOME - Jamaica Observer - June 24, 2016

It is often said that home is not a place, but a feeling. However, for Marvia Walters and her family, who lived in a tiny zinc shack, home is a sturdy roof over their heads and a comfortable bed to sleep in at nights.

The single mother and her five children, ages 3 to 17, are the first of two families to benefit from the 2016 initiative. The house was constructed recently in Mount George District, Yallahs, St Thomas by volunteers from the NCB Foundation and Food For The Poor Jamaica (FFPJ) who exchanged their business suits for hard hats and hammers.

This year, the NCB Foundation donated more than $950,000 towards the FFPJ Build-A-Home project, developed to provide homes for underprivileged families in Jamaica. In 2015, the joint team partnered to build two homes.

NCB Foundation is committed advancing building through involvement in activities aimed at positively impacting the lives of Jamaicans.

HALL OF FAME TRACK STAR BUILDS SCHOOL IN JAMAICA - Jamaica Star - June 22, 2016

Sixty preschoolers are set to access free education at the Pedro Plains Infant School in St. Elizabeth, which is being built by Hall of Fame track and field legend Donovan Bailey, and the Donovan Bailey Foundation (DBF).

Bailey, in partnership with Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation and Food For The Poor along with 25 enthusiastic volunteers are seeking to service critical education needs in Jamaica.

The new building, which is strategically positioned on the site of Pedro Plains Primary School will ease the transition from infant to primary school.

At present, a total of 40 Students attend the school.

Bailey who once held the 100m world record says he is enjoying the experience.

“What an experience, we are a few days into the DBF building with Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation and I am amazed at what these volunteers and local contractors have accomplished,” says Bailey.

The Pedro Plains Infant School according to Bailey will be the first of many schools that his foundation will partner on with the other entities.

Over the past six years, Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation however, has built 12 schools in partnership with Food For The Poor.

Karl Hale, founder of Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation is thrilled to be partnering with Bailey.

Hale said, “Donovan is a global icon and is always gracious with his time. The school that we build will impact children for generations to come. It’s the 20th anniversary of Donovan’s Olympic Gold Medals and Helping Hands volunteers are excited to be part of another school build.”

Source: http://jamaica-star.com/article/features/20160622/hall-fame-track-star-builds-school-jamaica#.V2r0luZEBZM.facebook

MAKING A DIFFERENCE AT PAPINE HIGH SCHOOL - Corporate Hands - June 16, 2016

The Joan Duncan Foundation, in partnership with Food - For The Poor Jamaica, recently handed over a greenhouse to Papine High School, which values approximately $1 million.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20160616/making-difference-papine-high

Here, Kim Mair (left), CEO, Joan Duncan Foundation, holds one of the sweet peppers reaped from the greenhouse. Sharing in the moment are: Mark Jones (centre), Agricultural Science teacher and Audrey Deer-Williams, director, Joan Duncan Foundation. The greenhouse was constructed in July 2015 and is being used to educate the students in the subject of agricultural science.

Patricia Sutherland (centre), chairman, Joan Duncan Foundation, picks sweet peppers along with David Mair (left), executive director, Food For The Poor Jamaica. Sharing in the moment is Denzil Garrison, sixth-form student of the school.

FOOD FOR THE POOR 5K RAISES J$53 MILLION - News Release - June 3, 2016

2016 Food For The Poor Jamaica's 5K Winner.

Kingston, Jamaica – June 1, 2016: Sixty poverty-stricken families will have the comfort of new two-bedroom houses from Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica later this year, thanks to the J$53 million donated by individuals, companies and others during the charity organisation’s second annual 5K Run/Walk held on May 7 in Kingston, Jamaica.

Andrew Mahfood, CEO, FFP Jamaica, said these families will benefit in a phase basis in upcoming months.

“Hundreds of poverty-stricken families are currently on our waiting list for houses,” Mahfood said in a recent interview, “They are in dire need, many of whom are single mothers with their children, who are suffering bitterly without a proper housing structure with necessary facilities that are in accordance with good standards of living.”

Approximately, $46.5 million was raised from the first 5K Run/Walk in May last year with over 50 houses built.

“Food For The Poor Jamaica is extremely grateful for the support received both in 2015 and 2016 during the 5K Run/Walk. No charity can survive without the support system of their nation. We are happy that individuals, the private and public sectors, groups from all 14 parishes across, members of our diaspora and people living outside of Jamaica, decided to support us through contributions, pledges and donations through the internet,” Mahfood said.
The funds raised were matched equally by Food For The Poor Florida.
In 2015, approximately 842 houses were constructed by FFP Jamaica. While other houses were constructed by other Food For The Poor organisations in Latin America and Caribbean countries including Trinidad & Tobago, Honduras, St Vincent, Guyana, Haiti, Belize, Guatemala and Nicaragua.
Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organisations, started in Jamaica in 1938 with the objective of distributing food items through churches, but have now expanded to address housing, education, health care, prison ministry, agriculture and social outreach.

-end-

GOVERNMENT OF TAIWAN DONATES RICE TO FOOD FOR THE POOR - News Release - June 3, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (June 2, 2016) As Haiti endures its worst food crisis in more than a decade, Taiwan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs is donating 3,380 metric tons of rice to the country this year through Food For The Poor. That is the equivalent of 169 tractor-trailer loads of rice.

The generosity of Taiwan's donation comes at a crucial time as Haiti is facing its worst food crisis in more than 15 years, according to the United Nations World Food Programme. Floods in recent weeks have drowned crops in the north while droughts have withered them in the south. A three-year drought exacerbated by the El Niño weather phenomenon has left Haitian farmers facing massive crop losses, driven people into poverty and hunger, and doubled the number of food-insecure people since September 2015, according to the U.N. agency.

The lifesaving rice will be shipped in four instalments in July, August, September and October.

Taiwan's outgoing President Ma Ying-jeou explained why Taiwan supports the people of Haiti during a visit to the nation last July. "There are two main reasons — the first is because I myself was a recipient of aid and rice. The international community supported Taiwan with donations in the 1950s. The second reason is truly because of solidarity," he said.

Food For The Poor and Taiwan have partnered since 2005 to positively impact lives of the poor.

Rice is a major staple in Haiti, and by networking with partners such as Taiwan, Food For The Poor is able to feed countless hungry children each day. The latest donation of 3,380 metric tons of rice will provide nearly 30 million servings.

Food For The Poor will distribute the donated rice to sponsored programs, one of which is the charity's feeding center in Port-au-Prince. Approximately 15,000 hot meals are cooked and distributed from this location six days a week.

Since the 2010 earthquake, through the generosity of its donors, the charity has built more than 5,900 homes in Haiti – and nearly 24,000 housing units since its inception. In 2015, Food For The Poor shipped 1,194 tractor-trailer loads of needed supplies to Haiti.

"Food For The Poor and the people of Haiti are sincerely appreciative of the rice donated by the Taiwanese," said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. "The people of Taiwan are world leaders in the production of rice, enabling them to feed the destitute living in developing countries. This is a bountiful blessing for the hungry, and we sincerely thank Taiwan's President for this precious, lifesaving gift."

Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org.

Michael Turnbell
Public Relations Associate

6401 Lyons Road,
Coconut Creek, FL 33073
954.427.2222 ext. 6054
www.FoodForThePoor.org

ACTS OF HUMANITY NOT UNCOMMON FOR WISYNCO BOSSES - Jamaica Observer - June 3, 2016

People who know Messrs Andrew and William Mahfood well would not have been surprised by the job security assurance they gave to their employees at Wisynco after last week’s fire that completely destroyed the company’s warehouse in Lakes Pen, St Catherine.

For both gentlemen have, over the years, displayed genuine acts of humanity to individuals who have found themselves in unfortunate positions of real need.

If, by any chance, there’s anyone who is still uninformed about the philanthropic nature of these men, they need look no further than the activities of Food For the Poor, their charity founded in 1982.

Food For the Poor’s track record of benevolence is not only impressive; it is heart-warming because it lives up to its mandate of providing for society’s less fortunate.

We remember well that last year Food For the Poor officials shared at a Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange that the organisation was building 1,200 houses annually for needy Jamaicans. At that rate, the charity would have, up to this month, already constructed just under 50,000 houses since its inception.
Last year, as well, Food For the Poor was able to report that it delivered on its promise, made in June 2012, to build 50 schools across the island in observance of Jamaica’s golden anniversary of Independence. That project was completed 18 months within the deadline.

Readers may also recall that in 2014 this newspaper reported that Food For the Poor spent $11.4 billion on its many social projects as demand for assistance increased due to the austerity measures that Jamaica was forced to undergo under the International Monetary Fund-approved economic reform programme.

Amidst all that, the Wisynco bosses told us that being able to give back to Jamaica through Food For the Poor has been far more satisfying than the hundreds of millions in profits earned by the company.

The admission made by Mr Andrew Mahfood has been indelibly etched in our minds: “When you see someone who has nothing get a house or get a new start; or a prisoner who did a petty crime but couldn’t pay his fine but comes out and is now a manufacturer of shoes or a welder because of Food For the Poor, it is more gratifying than seeing net profits.”

In other words, what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and suffer the loss of his own soul?

Equally, his cousin, Mr William Mahfood, told us that being able to give back to Jamaica, whether through Food For the Poor or by making direct contributions to groups and individuals, allows Wisynco to live up to its mission statement, which is to “improve the lives of our people”.

With that type of mindset and deep commitment to the well-being of their fellow humans, it was only natural that these gentlemen would not have entertained any thought of laying off the employees whose jobs were affected by the fire.

That, as Archbishop Emeritus of Kingston Most Rev Donald Reece correctly stated in a letter to the editor, is practical Christianity in action.

Jamaicans should indeed be inspired by this action as it clearly demonstrates how we should treat each other.

Our best wishes to Wisynco as the company recovers from this tragedy.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/editorial/Acts-of-humanity-not-uncommon-for-Wisynco-bosses_62838

WISYNCO DESERVES OUR SUPPORT - Jamaica Observer - June 3, 2016

Wisynco worker Ann-marie Mattis petitions God to stop the warehouse from burning.

Dear Editor,

Thursday, May 26, was not only a sad day for the family at Wisynco Group Limited when their warehouse in Lakes Pen, St Catherine went up in flames, but also the entire nation. However, it is reassuring to see our people rallying around members of Wisynco and showing their support, primarily through their presence on the location of the fire, prayers and good wishes being shared in the media.

Wisynco deserves the support they have received from Jamaica. Although many are not aware, the Wisynco Group Limited — one of Jamaica’s leading manufacturing and distribution companies — has been a major support system and a continued sponsor in many ways to Food For The Poor Jamaica.

Our Chairman, Mr Andrew Mahfood, who is also the CEO of Wisynco Group, believes in charity, nation-building and most of all, our people. He is a caring and compassionate leader, and our organisation applauds him for ensuring the continued security of the jobs of all Wisynco employees.

Food For The Poor Jamaica is saddened by the major blow to the Wisynco Group, but our family will continue keeping Wisynco in our prayers, along with supporting and assisting them with their rebuilding efforts as best as our team possibly can.


David Mair
Executive Director
Food For The Poor Jamaica
davidm@foodforthepoorja.org

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/letters/Wisynco-deserves-our-support_62840

SWEET REAPING - Jamaica Observer - May 25, 2016

(From left) Kim Mair, CEO, Joan Duncan Foundation; Mark Jones, teacher of agriculture at Papine High School; and Audrey Deer-Williams, one of the foundation’s directors harvest sweet peppers from the school’s greenhouse, which was funded by the foundation and Food for the Poor. (PHOTO: ASTON SPAULDING)

Papine High School’s agriculture programme got a well-needed boost earlier this month when the Joan Duncan Foundation, the philanthropic arm of JMMB Group, and Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica partnered on a greenhouse valued at approximately $1 million dollars which will train the students in agricultural science as well as add to their nutrition programme.

The greenhouse was constructed in July last year, but was handed over a week ago.

FFP provided vegetable and other seedlings, as well 300 baby chicks to kick-start the programme.

“Food For The Poor Jamaica is pleased to see that the school has reaped at least three times the case of ground provision and chicken, which are used in the canteen to prepare lunch for the students and staff members and which also provides an ongoing income for the school,” FFP executive director David Mair said.

Principal Leighton Christie said the number of students expressing interest in the institution’s agriculture programme and in sitting the subject at the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate has increased since the introduction of the greenhouse.
“Agriculture plays a vital role in the prosperity of a nation, so we are pleased that both Food For The Poor Jamaica and the Joan Duncan Foundation chose our agriculture programme to invest in. With the greenhouse, our students are now able to transition directly into the programmes being offered at the College of Agriculture, Science & Education immediately after graduating, which we are pleased about,” Christie said.

For her part, chairman of the Joan Duncan Foundation Patricia Sutherland said JMMB was happy to partner with Food For The Poor to execute the project especially since it has such a wide-ranging and far-reaching impact on the school community.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/environment/Sweet-reaping_61941

RIBBON CUTTING: Cutting the ribbon at the handing over ceremony for the greenhouse by Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica and the Joan Duncan Foundation to Papine High School in St Andrew are (from left) David Mair, Executive Director, FFP Jamaica; Anna-Kay Dozovado, grade 10 student; Patricia Sutherland, Chairman and Audrey Deer-Williams, Director, Joan Duncan Foundation. Witnessing in the background are: Leighton Christie (left), Principal and Carlos Bryce, grade 10 student.

MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN LIVES AT PAPINE HIGH SCHOOL: Following the official handing over of the greenhouse to Papine High School on May 19, Patricia Sutherland (centre), Chairman, Joan Duncan Foundation gladly picks sweet peppers for her kitchen along with David Mair (left), Executive Director, Food For The Poor Jamaica. Also sharing in the moment is Denzil Garrison, sixth form student of the school.

NCB FOUNDATION CONSTRUCTING DREAMS - Jamaica Observer - May 17, 2016

Owning a home to safely nestle one's family and create memories, is a primal need for human beings. Not being able to actualize that desire is a struggle for many poor Jamaican, so in an effort to realise some of those dreams, NCB Foundation volunteers brushed off their running shoes recently to advance the work of Food For The Poor through its annual 5K run/walk in Kingston.

Under the theme 'Changing Lives, Restoring Families', the second staging of the Food for The Poor 5K Run/Walk 2016 was held with the ultimate aim of raising funds towards constructing homes for needy families.

"NCB foundation is pleased to again be associated with this 5K Walk/Run for the second consecutive year as we embrace and partner for charitable causes such as this that are relevant to the betterment of Jamaica," said Jamilia Crooks, Programmes Administrator, NCB Foundation.

Staff members were integral to the Foundation's participation by running and walking for the cause. Additionally, the NCB Volunteer Corps participated as road marshals, water station officers and traffic regulators all in an effort to realise another Jamaican's dream of having a home.

This year, the Foundation donated $974,400 towards the initiative and two families in the parishes of St Thomas and Westmoreland will have a place to call home by end of year. Last year's contribution allowed for two homes to be built.

'YOHAN MOVES WOMAN FROM FOWL COOP LIVING - The Star - May 4, 2016

Sophia Afflick once lived in a chicken coop in St Thomas with her children. She had moved from her house in Commodore, Portland after she was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in 2010.

"I fell in a serious case of depression. I wanted to lay down everyday and I felt like committing suicide and I never wanted to be around my children. I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism at Princess Margaret Hospital in St Thomas, and my sister was living in that parish, so I decided that it was best to move there for treatment," Afflick said.

Having journeyed to St Thomas to stay in a two-bedroom house with one of her sisters, Afflick said she became very uncomfortable.

"Sometimes, I sleep on di sofa so that mi two daughters could share a bed with my sister's children. It was really stressing for us. We needed our own space," she further stated.

After a while, Afflick said she and her sister started experiencing conflicts, so she left.

"There was an abandoned fowl coop in the yard and things became so desperate that I decided to fix it up as best as I could and live in it. We neva have no furniture. All I had was two baskets with clothes fi me and di children with one small table and a second-hand mattress. That's all we had, but we felt safe and we had more peace of mind," Afflick said.

But the nightmare and horror of being near-homeless ended when Jamaican sprinter Yohan Blake teamed up with charitable organisation Food For The Poor (FFP) and provided her with a new two-bedroom house in August 2015.

"Where I was, I didn't know that things would turn around for me. Maybe I would have died, but I am a survivor today because of Yohan Blake and Food For The Poor," she said.

Prior to Blake and FFP's intervention, Afflick was near destitute and prayed for a Samaritan to rescue her.

"When mi get the keys in my hand, it was like mi just wake up out of a nightmare. Mi couldn't stop crying. Then mi 16-year-old daughter come back home to live wid us. I was so happy. In fact, mi even start feel much better with my health. It's almost like mi forget that I had the health problems."

Blake and FFP have teamed up once more with the sprinter pledging to again donate towards the building of a house for a needy Jamaican. Blake will donate US$3,200 (J$393,000) towards the buiding of a two-bedroom house, and FFP will be putting up a similar amount.

"I want to help people to live better and we'll have more fulfilling lives in our society. Having a house to call your home provides a sense of pride and dignity," Blake said recently. "I promise that as long as I am able to help another person, I will. God has been good to me, and He has blessed me beyond measure."

FFP Jamaica will be using the funds from its 5K Run/Walk this Saturday in Kingston, to provide housing for needy families.

Sophia Afflick in the fowl coop she once lived.

Source: http://jamaica-star.com/article/news/20160504/yohan-moves-woman-fowl-coop-living

'YOHAN MOVES WOMAN FROM FOWL COOP LIVING' - Loop Jamaica - May 1, 2016

Jamaican sprint star and former World 100m champion, Yohan Blake has again committed to donating a house to a needy Jamaican through Food For The Poor (FFP).

He made the announcement recently at the launch of FFP Jamaica’s 5K Run/Walk which was held at The Spanish Court Hotel in St Andrew. Funds raised from the road race, which will be held on May 7 in Kingston, will be used to provide housing for a needy family.

This is not the first time Blake has committed to donating a home in partnership with the charity organisation. For FFP Jamaica’s inaugural 2015 5K Run/Walk, he donated funds to provide a house for Sophia Afflick, a hyperthyroidism patient who used to live in a chicken coop with two of her five children.

“I support Food For The Poor with all my heart. I built a house for a family in need because, more than anything else, I want to help people to live better and we’ll have more fulfilling lives in our society. Having a house to call your home provides a sense of pride and dignity. I promise that as long as I am able to help another person, I will. God has been good to me, and He has blessed me beyond measure. As long as I keep Him at the center of my life, I will bless others,” Blake said in a recent interview.

Afflick is extremely grateful to Blake foundation YB Afraid for donating the funds which gave her a home in Commodore, Portland. Prior to Yohan and FFP Jamaica’s intervention, she was homeless and prayed for a Samaritan to rescue her.

“When I used to live in Portland, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism in 2010. I fell in a serious case of depression. I wanted to lay down everyday and I felt like committing suicide and I never wanted to be around my children. I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism at Princess Margaret Hospital in St Thomas and my sister was living in that parish, so I decided that it was best to move there for treatment,” Afflick said as she recalled her past experience during a recent interview.

Afflick moved into the two-bedroom house her sister occupied with two of her children and her sister’s children, and her sister’s grandchildren. This, she says, was very uncomfortable.

“Sometimes I sleep on di sofa so that mi two daughters could share a bed with my sister’s children. It was really stressing for us. We needed our own space,” she further stated.

After a while, Afflick and her sister started experiencing conflicts and she was asked to leave.

“There was an abandoned fowl coop in the yard and things became so desperate that I decided to fix it up as best as I could and live in it. We neva have no furniture. All I had was two baskets with clothes fi me and di children with one small table and a second hand mattress. That’s all we had, but we felt safe and we had more peace of mind,” Afflick said.

However, moving into the chicken coop had its challenges as well. She had to use a tarpaulin to cover the sides of the coop to prevent rain and wind from entering.

“The coop was leaking really bad and termite-infested. Di fowls in di yard always wanted to come inside. In fact, we used to find eggs inside. Somebody did tell mi that I could get cardboard from the big dump in Morant Bay, and I remember going there one day, and mi wait pan di trucks to come in and den mi tie up some of the empty boxes, and tek dem home to cover di holes on di coop so di breeze and rain wouldn’t soak through as much,” Afflick said.

Her eldest daughter became frustrated and went back to Portland to live with her father. Then the relationship with her sister worsened to the point where she was forced to move out of the coop. She then moved into a “one-room” near her sister’s house, before going back to Portland, where she made a makeshift room from sticks, a tarpaulin and zinc. The cold weather took a toll on her health and she prayed for a change.

With funds provided by Yohan Blake through his foundation YB Afraid, Food For The Poor decided to give this single mother a new two-bedroom house in August 2015.

“Food For The Poor call mi and told mi I was getting a new house. I couldn’t believe it. Finally, me and mi children could get back together. When mi get di call mi did happy, but a when mi see di materials coming in and mi house going up, it was another joyful thing for me. Then when mi get the keys in my hand, it was like mi just wake up out of a nightmare. Mi couldn’t stop crying. Then mi 16-year-old daughter come back home to live wid us. I was so happy. In fact, mi even start feel much better with my health. It’s almost like mi forget that I had the health problems,” she said.

Referring to Food For The Poor and Yohan Blake, Ms. Afflick said, “Because of them, I am no longer a victim. To see mi two children coming home from school in the evenings is the best ting for me. I never dreamed that I would move out of this situation so quickly. Where I was, I didn’t know that things would turn around for me. Maybe I would have died, but I am a survivor today because of Yohan Blake and Food For The Poor,” she added.

Afflick’s words of gratitude to Yohan Blake and FFP Jamaica were, “This is such a blessing. If you only know. You have saved the life of me an mi children dem. I love you all. Words can’t tell what you have done for us!”

http://www.loopjamaica.com/content/yohan-blake-builds-house-needy-family-food-poor

FOOD FOR THE POOR DELIVERS HOME FOR FIRE VICTIM - Corporate Hands - April 28, 2016

THANKS TO Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica and Tank-Weld Metals Limited, Cherline Hoyes, a 55-year-old fire victim, abuse victim and downtown Kingston vendor, says is now the owner of her home.

In 2000, her home on West Street in Kingston was burnt down and she ended up in an abusive relationship which lasted 13 years and produced a son.

"My situation was very bad. After I got baptized, things get worse with me and my baby father. The verbal and physical abuse got so bad. Him used to fight mi off sometimes. I had one child for him, and he had two other children living with us. Things used to be so hard for us, because what we earned was just not enough, and what he contributed was very small. I used to cry day and night but mi stay ina di situation long, because I had nowhere else to live,” Hoyes said.

According to her, she sought refuge in a small dwelling with a friend, along with that friend's children and grandchildren.

She prayed for a change to her living conditions that she thought of applying for a house from FFP. While she prayed, she saved, and eventually leased land in Waltham Park, Kingston.

On June 28, 2015, her prayers were answered by FFP Jamaica and Tank Weld Metals Limited, who collaborated to construct a house for her with funds donated in support of FFP Jamaica’s inaugural Run/Walk.

Chris Bicknell, CEO of Tank-Weld, said the organisation chose to donate the funds for this house because they are always looking for ways to give back to Jamaica and to communities.

http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20160428/corporate-hands-food-poor-delivers-home-fire-victim

HOUSES TO BE BUILT FROM FOOD FOR THE POOR 5K EARNINGS - The Star - April 6, 2016

Thousands of Jamaicans will receive support this year when Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica hosts its second annual 5K Run/Walk, May 7, to raise funds for the construction of houses for indigent families in Jamaica.

The official launch of this event took place on April 5 at Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston.

Speaking at the event's launch yesterday at Spanish Court Hotel, FFP Jamaica's executive director, David Mair, said the organisation raised approximately $46.5 million from the first staging of the event in 2015 and is hoping to surpass that amount for 2016.

We're proud to announce that 64 houses were constructed for poverty-stricken families across the island from funds raised. However, 842 houses were constructed in 2015 by FFP, overall. This is a major accomplishment for our charity group in its 34th year of existence," Mair said, adding that it hopes to build at least 100 houses this year.

Marsha Burrell, development and marketing manager, FFP Jamaica, said the route for this year's 5K remains the same as 2015's route, starting at Emancipation Park in New Kingston.

Persons wishing to participate can register at http://runningeventsja.com/foodforthepoor

FOOD FOR THE POOR 5K PROMISES TO TOUCH MORE LIVES - Jamaica Observer - April 6, 2016

The second staging of the Food For the Poor 5K Run/Walk race will take place on Saturday, May 7, to raise funds for the construction of approximately 100 houses, it was announced at yesterday’s launch at the Spanish Court Hotel in New Kingston.

Last year, the event garnered $46.5 million and 64 houses were built as a result for poverty-stricken families across the island.

Andrew Mahfood, chairman of Food For the Poor (FFP) Jamaica, said his organisation will be aggressive against poverty.

“My team will tell you, this is something I take very seriously,” said Mahfood.

The 5K/Walk race will once again start and finish at the Emancipation Park in New Kingston. The warm-up session is 6:15 am and the race will run off at 6:30 am.
Participants will start at Emancipation Park, then east to Oxford Road, turn north onto Old Hope Road then west on Seaview Road, another left onto Lady Musgrave Road, then right to Trafalgar Road and left onto Knutsford Boulevard and finishing at the starting point.

Regular entrance fee will be $1,000 per person and $2,000 for the premium package that includes souvenir t-shirts, light breakfast and race packet delivery.

The theme of the event is ‘Changing Lives, Restoring Families’.

One of last year’s beneficiaries, Grace-Ann Anderson, shared an emotional testimony about her struggles and eventually benefiting from FFP.

Meanwhile, Douglas Orane, one of the many donors, said it’s about helping people who have “stumbled into a pothole”. He cited a case of a gentleman that lives in St Elizabeth who was financially and emotionally distraught after his efforts to assist his ailing son failed and his son eventually died.

“When he got the house it really helped him to get back on his feet, so it’s a good feeling for us,” said Orane.

Meanwhile, Food For the Poor ambassador and 2011 World Championships 100m gold medallist, Yohan Blake, was on hand and gave his endorsement at the launch along with rising stars Akeem Bloomfield of Kingston College, Calabar High’s Christopher Taylor, Warren Barrett Jnr and Fabian Hewitt.

http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sport/Food-For-the-Poor-5K-promises-to-touch-more-lives_56836

FOOD FOR THE POOR 5K SET FOR MAY 7 - News Release - April 5, 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kingston, Jamaica – April 5, 2016: In this Year of Mercy, one of the Corporal Works, ‘sheltering the homeless’ will receive the support of thousands of Jamaicans. Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica will on May 7 host its second annual 5K Run/Walk to raise funds for the construction of houses for indigent families in Jamaica.

The official launch of this event will take place on April 5 at the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston.

Speaking in an interview recently, FFP Jamaica Executive Director David Mair said the organisation raised approximately J$46.5 million from the first staging of the event in 2015 and are hoping to surpass that amount for 2016.

“We’re proud to announce that 64 houses were constructed for poverty-stricken families across the island from the funds raised. However, 842 houses were constructed in 2015 by FFP overall. This is a major accomplishment for our charity group in its thirty-fourth year of existence,” Mair said.

He added, “For 2016, we are looking forward to extending our reach to more Jamaicans from funds raised from the 5K. We would like to build at least 100 houses and surpass the approximately J$46.5 million which we made last year.”

Mair said the best way to achieve this objective is through the support of Jamaicans, especially those from all levels of society.

Marsha Burrell, Development/Marketing Manager, FFP Jamaica, said the route for this year’s 5K remains the same as 2015’s route.

“The FFP Jamaica 5K race will start and end at Emancipation Park. Registration is now open on Running Event’s website.”

“In 2015, FFP’s head office equally matched the donations made through registrations. For 2016, the same will occur. Again, our head office in Florida has committed to matching the funds collected during registrations,” Burrell said.

Those interested in registering for FFP Jamaica’s 5K can to do so via the link http://www.runningeventsja.com/foodforthepoor. Those who register for the Premium
Package by Friday, April 15 will receive a souvenir. Payment, along with printed registration forms, can also be made at the Paymaster locations islandwide to register for the 5K. Those who choose this option of payment, will have to scan their receipts and entry forms and email them to secretariat@foodforthepoorja.org or hand deliver to any of the following locations:

• Stella Maris Church, 62 Shortwood Road, Kingston 8
• St. Richard's Church, 126 Red Hills Road, Kingston 19
• Sts. Peter & Paul Church, 120 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6
• Chez Maria, 80 Lady Musgrave Road, Kingston 5
• Food For The Poor, Ellerslie Pen, Spanish Town, St. Catherine
• Running Events Limited, 87-89 Tower Street, Kingston

-end-

For more information, please contact Marsha Burrell at 859-9339 or 830-8945.

Prepared by PRO Communications Limited

FOOD FOR THE POOR JAMAICA & FONTANA HELPS HOMELESS - The Gleaner - March 31, 2016

Jolyn Williams (third left, in blue) with two of her family members; Food For The Poor representatives (left and right) and Kevin O’Brien Chang (third right, plaid shirt) pose in front of her new home.

Mother of eight Jolyn Williams will be returning to nursing school this year content and comfortable, knowing that there is no longer any worry about a home for her and her family. She will be moving into a brand new home donated by Fontana Pharmacy and Food For The Poor.

Last October, 'A Party with a Purpose' was held in Montego Bay. The goal of the event was to partner with Food For The Poor to raise funds for the construction of four homes. Not only was the goal met, an additional 12 houses were donated by private donors, one of them being Fontana.

The house was built in Mandeville, Manchester, where Fontana's roots were established. The pharmacy continues to build on the principles of community and giving that were laid down almost 48 years ago by Bobby and Angela Chang.

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20160331/fontana-helps-homeless

FOOD FOR THE POOR HELPS IN FREEING MORE THAN 200 NON-VIOLENT PRISONERS FOR EASTER - Jamaica Observer - March 29, 2016

Food for the Poor helps in freeing more than 200 non-violent prisoners for Easter

KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) – The interdenominational Christian ministry, “Food for the Poor”, says it has been able to secure the release of non-violent prisoners in several Caribbean countries for the Easter season.

Food for the Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations, said it had been able to secure the release of inmates in Guyana, Jamaica, Haiti and Honduras.

Food for the Poor said that it has worked to free 256 inmates for Easter, including four from Guyana, 232 in Haiti, nine from Jamaica and 2 from Honduras.
“I understand if a person commits a crime they must face the consequences of their actions, but the majority of these first-time offenders are being locked up with hard core criminals for weeks, months and even years at a time because they cannot afford to pay the minimal fines for their freedom,” said Robin Mahfood, President and chief executive officer of Food For The Poor

Each inmate released this week in Haiti received a hot meal, a 100-pound bag of rice, personal care items, and a monetary gift for transportation home.

In Jamaica, nonviolent prisoners were released from Hunts Bay Police Station, and Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre in Kingston, and the St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre in Spanish Town.

Each newly released person received words of encouragement, a hot meal and personal care items.

“We serve a God who is very merciful,” said Mahfood, adding “we can only pray that each prisoner who was released will recognize that our Lord is a God of second chances”.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/FOOD-POOR2016-03-26T12-22-40

A HOUSE FOR FORMER HOMELESS MOM OF FOUR - Jamaica Observer - March 29, 2016

HOME AT LAST: Latoya Williams (centre), the formerly homeless mother with four children, opens the house that Food For The Poor Jamaica and Rainforest Seafoods Limited constructed for her last week. Sharing in the moment is Roger Lyn, Marketing Manager of Rainforest Seafoods.

Not long ago, 31-year-old Latoya Williams was facing the reality of being homeless and unemployed with four children, and local authorities threatening to take her children from her. Now, she says she has much to give thanks for, primarily because Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica recently gave her a house.

Williams, who now resides along St John’s Road in St Catherine, was evicted because she was unable to pay her rent. With nowhere to live, authorities told her they would take her children from her and place them in the care of the State. After being told this, Williams developed a plan to get a house.

“I used to buy and sell downtown with goods such as bag juice and cookies, but I haven’t been selling since the year began because things got hard on me. I would borrow to buy the goods, and when things don’t turn over with a good profit, I can’t repay,” Williams said in an interview.

“Then I couldn’t pay the rent or send the children to school, so I got evicted. With all of what was going on, I went to Food For The Poor with the hope of applying for a house and getting it. I was told I needed a letter from a Justice of the Peace and my grandmother who owns the land the house was built on, so I went and got those and submitted it, then they selected me for a house.”

FFP Jamaica, along with Rainforest Seafoods Limited, built the house for Williams during Holy Week.
“I am so grateful. Mi did think mi did ina one gutter weh mi couldn’t come out of, but with the house Food For The Poor gave to me, is like I am coming out of the gutter. All I need to do now is start sell again, and I have another plan for that. I just need a freezer and go downtown and start buy the bag juice them in a big bulk and store them in the freezer,” Williams said.

Executive Director, FFP Jamaica, David Mair said that when the case for Williams was presented to his team, they could not resist assisting.

“When you saw her story, you would have been heartbroken. Immediately after she was evicted, she was literally on the street with her children. She came to us, presented her case and showed us the documents regarding her eviction and her case with the court and her children. We had to assist her, because without a house, she would have lost her children,” Mair said.

He further stated: “Our first 5K Run/Walk, which was held in 2015, had a focus of raising funds to build houses for mothers who are in dire need of houses. Our 5K was also planned for May, on the eve of Mother’s Day, because we see a greater amount in applications being submitted by mothers who need relief assistance along with their children. Williams is one of those mothers. It is so fitting that she has gotten a house two weeks before we launch our next 5K Run/Walk on April 5.”

Rainforest Seafoods are the sponsors who donated the funds needed to construct the house. Marketing Manager of the company, Roger Lyn said that when Development/Marketing Manager, FFP Jamaica Marsha Burrell called and presented the case to him, his team could not resist assisting.

“When you heard and saw the circumstance of this family, you would have been heartbroken. We had to help. It was a no-brainer, because Rainforest Seafoods is all about family, and keeping families together. We have done work with Food For The Poor before and we were proud to partner with them in building a house again,” Lyn said.

Williams expressed gratitude to both organisations for helping her.

“I am so grateful. I could not afford a house because I started out wrong in life, and my parents could not afford to give me a good education. When I was to do Caribbean Examination Council subjects, my mother seh she can’t pay fi dem. Dem fi send mi home. After leaving school I have to be buying and selling. I made mistakes, but I want better for my children,” the single mother said.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/A-house-for-former-homeless-mom-of-four_55897

HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT TURNS HER LIFE AROUND - Jamaica Observer - March 27, 2016

Denise Foster (centre), vice-principal of Barbara E Lee Hing Basic School in Banana Ground, Manchester, hugs Reverend Thora Levy, president of Christos Ministries Inc, following the handover of the new school building and the scholarship announcement. Also sharing in the moment was Anthony Lee Hing, widower of the late Barbara E Lee Hing after whom the school has been renamed.

FOR the past 11 years, Denise Foster, vice-principal of the Barbara E Lee Hing Banana Ground Basic School in Manchester, has been executing her job without a university degree.

She is not unqualified to teach at the basic school level, for she holds a diploma in the field, but she has been wanting to climb further up the ladder. The problem was, she couldn’t afford the cost of studies at the tertiary level. Just over a year ago, for example, she made enquiries into the Bachelor of Education degree in Early Childhood Education at the Catholic College of Mandeville, but found the costs prohibitive.

Upon learning of her story, members of Christos Ministries Inc, a US-based charity organisation spearheaded by Reverend Thora Levy, and which partners with Food for the Poor Jamaica, decided to award her with a scholarship valued at approximately $700,000.

The announcement was made during the handover in January of a new building for Foster’s school, the fifth basic school in Jamaica to which Christos has contributed to repairing.

Foster started pursuing her studies three days after the announcement, registering for three courses for the semester on a part-time basis.
“The scholarship! I’m excited!” she told the Jamaica Observer.

“Words cannot explain how I feel. I am so thankful to Christos Ministries Inc. I have been trying for years, and I feel good to know the time has finally come to pass,” she said.

“After becoming pregnant with my first child at the age of 18 years, I became a high school dropout and lost the chance of sitting my O’level examinations months before they were held. I sat down at home until I had two other children.

She said at that point, she had given up on life, until 2001 when she made the decision to turn things around.

“In 2001, I decided that I was going to do the Jamaica School Certificate Examinations and I did three subjects without going to class and I got all three, also mathematics with credit. Following that, my last child started coming to Banana Ground Basic School in 2004, so I decided that it was my time now to step out too with my son, and I started working at the school,” Foster said.

She subsequently earned a grade two pass in mathematics in the Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate examination.

“Also, at that time, my first child started high school, so I registered with Heart Trust/NTA to do the level one certification in early childhood education and from there it has been non-stop,” she said.

She went on to do the level two course, then the diploma course, and a Certificate in Human Exceptionalities at The Mico University College.

Foster expects to continue to make progress by being successful with the degree programme. She said she will decide then whether to remain in Banana Ground, or apply somewhere new to make a difference in the lives of others.

- Ainsworth Morris

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/career/High-school-dropout-turns-her-life-around_53275

Denise Foster, vice-principal of Barbara E Lee Hing Basic School in Banana Ground, Manchester, has been awarded a scholarship to pursue a degree in early childhood education.

CHARITY FREES NONVIOLENT PRISONERS FOR EASTER HOLY WEEK - News Release - March 23, 2016

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (March 23, 2016) Prison overcrowding is a major problem in the Caribbean and Latin America. It is a dangerous and in some cases deadly environment for inmates and correctional officers working in these facilities.

So it is with even greater determination that Food For The Poor worked this year to free 256 inmates for Easter. As an example of why this work is necessary, 17 inmates in the Camp Street Prison in Georgetown, Guyana, lost their lives and at least eight others were injured after frustrated inmates set fires to protest crowded and unsanitary conditions. According to published reports, the 130 year-old prison was built to hold 450, but at the time of the riot had more than 1,000 people crowded into its cells.

"It’s truly tragic what happened to those men in Guyana, no one deserves to die that way. These prisons in developing countries are being filled to the max with people who are committing petty offenses," said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. "I understand if a person commits a crime they must face the consequences of their actions, but the majority of these first-time offenders are being locked up with hardcore criminals for weeks, months and even years at a time because they cannot afford to pay the minimal fines for their freedom. It is a Food For The Poor tradition to release nonviolent inmates twice a year, during the Easter and Christmas season."

Rajesh was one of those inmates in Guyana. Sick and suffering from tuberculosis, he was sentenced to four months in prison. On Monday, Rajesh and three other men were released from the Georgetown prison after Food For The Poor paid their fines for Holy Week. In Rajesh’s case, the charity also provided treatment for his tuberculosis, which he was extremely grateful to receive.

"Thank you very much for your gift of freedom," said Rajesh, in a phone call with Mahfood. "I feel so much better now and I want to thank you for the treatment I received while in prison."

Each of the four men were given a Holy Bible, a change of clothes, caps, personal care items, food and a monetary gift as they were released from prison.

For 18 years, Food For The Poor has been paying the fines of nonviolent offenders, freeing them from their prisons twice a year. Thanks to the generosity of the charity’s donors, four men were freed in Guyana, 232 men and women in Haiti, 11 men in Honduras and nine men in Jamaica.

In Haiti, six prisons located in Cap-Haitien, Fort-Liberté, Grande Rivière, Hinche, Port-au-Prince, and Port-de-Paix agreed to allow Food For The Poor to pay its required fines for nonviolent offenders. The majority of these prisoners, which included a few women, were locked up for stealing items such as chickens to feed their families or other items for their daily needs.

"My kids were hungry and I did not have nothing at home to feed them. I went to a public market and I stole a bag of rice and one gallon of oil," said one prisoner, who was freed from a Cap-Haitien prison. "Thank you Food For The Poor for having me freed today."

Another, also freed from Cap-Haitien, said "I am Estimé, I stole a goat at Saint Michel because I needed money for my little girl’s tuition at school. Thank you for freeing me."

"I was coming back from the D.R. after buying goods. At the control point, in Terrier Rouge, they said that I stole two bags of flour, so I was arrested and brought to prison. Thank you Food For The Poor for freedom," said Tima who was released this week.

Each inmate released this week in Haiti received a hot meal, a 100-pound bag of rice, personal care items, and a monetary gift for transportation home.

In Honduras, some of the prisoners wrote letters of gratitude to Food For The Poor donors explaining the circumstances that led to their imprisonment. Nelson, who was recently released from prison in San Pedro Sula, wrote about being abandoned as a child and the troubles that followed.

The 28 year-old is the oldest of three siblings and says he’s looking forward to helping his family. Nelson also says prison has taught him the importance of freedom and he doesn’t want to return. The 11 released prisoners in San Pedro Sula and Tegucigalpa were provided with care packages and travel expenses.

In Jamaica, nonviolent prisoners were released from Hunts Bay Police Station, and Tower Street Adult Correctional Centre in Kingston, and the St. Catherine Adult Correctional Centre in Spanish Town. Each newly released person was escorted from their cell to a room, and later to the chapel where they were each greeted by Food For The Poor staff. They also received words of encouragement, a hot meal and personal care items.

"We serve a God who is very merciful," said Mahfood. "We can only pray that each prisoner who was released will recognize that our Lord is a God of second chances."

Since the inception of Food For The Poor’s Prison Ministry Program in 1998, the charity has assisted in freeing, training and reintroducing nonviolent prisoners back into their communities as productive citizens.

To support Food For The Poor’s Prison Ministry Program, checks payable to Food For The Poor can be mailed to 6401 Lyons Road, Coconut Creek, Fla. 33073. Please include reference number "SC# 74122" to ensure your donation is correctly routed.

Food For The Poor, one of the largest international relief and development organizations in the nation, does much more than feed millions of the hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. This interdenominational Christian ministry provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 95 percent of all donations going directly to programs that help the poor. For more information, please visit www.FoodForThePoor.org

Source: http://www.foodforthepoor.org/newsroom/news/charity-frees-nonviolent-prisoners-easter-holy-week-032316.html

http://www.loopjamaica.com/content/food-poor-pays-fines-secure-release-256-prisoners-easter

'SINGLE MOTHER OF 8 CHILDREN GETS HOME FROM FOOD FOR THE POOR JAMAICA - Loop Jamaica - March 23, 2016

Jolyn Williams, a 32-year-old single mother of eight children, is a determined woman.

It's a character trait she has always displayed, amid some major personal mistakes, since her youth.

“Right now, I am pursuing a programme in practical nursing because I am determined," Williams said in an interview.

"I have eight children to provide for and I need a good job to sustain me, so I decided to buy and sell yam in the market, and send myself back to school,” she said.

Williams has eight Caribbean Examination Council (CXC) subjects, five of which she got in 2002 when graduating from Bellefield High School, and the others after going to extra classes in 2007, 2009 and 2010.

“I got pregnant with my first child while I was attending Beaumount High School and after I had the baby, I got a second chance to attend Bellefield High, and I tried to make the most of it and passed five subjects. However, after leaving high school, I had seven more children and things seemed downhill for me, but I never gave up,” Williams said.

In addition to the challenges of mothering her eight children without their three fathers, the over 50-year-old house which Williams and her children occupied in Beltline district in Knock Patrick, Manchester, began to fall apart.

Faced with the daunting prospect of not having a home for her family, Williams applied to Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica three years ago for a house.

"After going there, I was told I needed a pastor to recommend me with a letter for the house. After getting the pastor to do that, I was told that property tax was owing on the land, so I could not get a house although I qualified,” Williams said.

However, determined, Williams developed a plan.

"I went to Trelawny and bought rejected yam and went to Manchester and sold that batch of yam," she said. "From that, I became an entrepreneur, continued selling yam and saved money to pay the tax owed on the land. Then I went back to Food For The Poor and proved that I paid for the land, and the house was built and officially handed over to me in February.”

An overjoyed Williams expressed her gratitude to FFP Jamaica

“This situation with getting the house motivated me in numerous ways. It is the reason I started selling yam, and it is from selling yam that I started saving to send myself back to school over the years, and then enrolled to do the practical nursing diploma programme,” Williams said.

“I give thanks for the wonderful gift of shelter for me and my eight children. God bless Food For The Poor and their donors,” she added.

David Mair, Executive Director of FFP Jamaica, said Williams represents one of hundreds of single mothers who are currently on the charity organisation’s waiting list for houses for which they are trying to raise funds through their upcoming 5K Walk/Run which will be held in Kingston on May 7.

“One of the reasons we are hosting our 5K Walk/Run on the eve of Mother’s Day is because we want to help as many homeless mothers in Jamaica as possible. Most of our nation’s families who are in need have mothers as the cornerstone,” Mair said.

FFP Jamaica hosted their inaugural 5K Walk/Run on May 9, 2015. Approximately $46.5 million was raised from that event. Sixty-four houses were built from the funds raised.

The house handed over to Williams and her children, was donated by Ray Therrien in association with Fontana Pharmacy.

Source: http://www.loopjamaica.com/content/single-mother-eight-children-gets-home-food-poor-jamaica

FOOD FOR THE POOR: 34 YEARS AND GROWING STRONGER - March 14, 2016

'


It could be easily argued that Food For The Poor (FFP) has surpassed the expectations of Sam, Ferdinand, Robin and Joe Mahfood in a mere 34 years since it was started by Ferdinand in 1982. He then brought his siblings - Sam, Robin and Joe - on board. FFP-Jamaica was incorporated in 1983, and today, it is among the largest international relief and development organisations, and certainly Jamaica's largest.

In an interview with The Gleaner, FFP Chairman Andrew Mahfood, nephew of the founder, said that at the start, his uncle deliberately included his three brothers.

"When he migrated, he felt a greater calling to serve the less fortunate. [He] met with the family, who agreed to support him, got the initial warehouse space from Wisynco, and with aid from the United States, it has mushroomed," Mahfood said.

Now FFP is based in 17 Latin American and Caribbean countries, including Trinidad and Tobago, Honduras, St Vincent, Guyana, Haiti, Belize, Guatemala and Nicaragua.

They began by distributing food items only through churches, but have now expanded to address housing, education, health care, fishing, prison ministry, agriculture and social outreach needs.

Among FFP's recent accomplishments was the February sourcing of 6,000 bottles of paracetamol and 19 portable fogging machines through its head office in Miami to assist the Ministry of Health with its preparation for the Zika virus.

REACHING OUT

But to further explain the basis for the charity, Mahfood put it thus: "To get out of poverty, people need a house, access to health care, education and a source of income, so at Food for the Poor, we are trying to help them make it out."

Executive Director David Mair is proud of the many areas of FFP's focus, particularly the prison ministry and the housing construction.

"Under the former, every Easter and Christmas, we identify inmates who have committed minor offences and pay their fines so that they can be released," he said.

Mair added that they assist the former convicts to find gainful employment, particularly through the Fresh Start programme that provides assistance for those who wish to set up welding, carpentry, farming and other businesses.

RECORD NUMBER OF HOUSES

A record 842 houses were constructed in 2015. Mahfood said the housing solutions have improved considerably from single-unit to the present two-bedrooms with kitchen, bathroom, living and dining room.

"We also equip each house with a 400-gallon water tank and solar power to carry three light bulbs and charge a phone. There is also a gutter attached for water harvesting, as in many cases, the houses are located in areas that are so remote, there is no access to public water and electricity," Mahfood said.

As for the next 34 years, Mahfood hopes there will be no more need for FFP because poverty would have been a thing of the past.

"Our job is not complete until all the poor are uplifted or I might have a more serious question to answer," he said

For the immediate future, FFP plans to work more closely with the Government to find ways to get the desperately poor into sustainable activity and provide opportunities to improve their long-term security, health and education.

barbara.ellington@gleanerjm.com

Source: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20160314/food-poor-34-years-and-growing-stronger

'18 FAMILIES RECEIVE HOMES IN PORTLAND COTTAGE' - Loop Jamaica - March 5, 2016

Eighteen families in Portland Cottage, Clarendon, are now proud homeowners, thanks to a donation of approximately J$11.52 million made by Chris Davitt and Craig Ruppert, along with their friends from the United States, and Food For The Poor (FFP).

Davitt and Ruppert, who have set one of their lives’ goals as donating annually to Jamaica, travelled to the island on February 12 with a team of 36. The group, assisted by staff members of Food For The Poor Jamaica, built the houses on February 13 and 14.

David Mair, Executive Director of FFP Jamaica, said he was pleased that these two gentlemen, along with their family and friends - who form the mission group ‘Davitt/Ruppert Family and Friends’ - had created an annual calendar event to journey to Jamaica and construct houses for the homeless.

“It costs approximately J$640,000 to construct one house. With Mr Davitt, Mr Ruppert and their family and friends’ initiative of constructing 18 houses, this sums up to approximately J$11.52 million. This is a grand donation!” Mair said in a recent interview.

Mair said the entire group epitomizes what it means to be your brother’s keeper.

“These Americans are not only keepers for each other, but they are keepers for people living thousands of miles away from them in the island of Jamaica. Perhaps, if there were more individuals like them, more homeless individuals would be reached and our country would have a much better standard of living,” Mair added.

Ruppert said he was always eager to come to Jamaica and build houses for families in need.

“We are always happy to come. I have been coming for about 17 years, and we bring our family and friends. They come. They work hard. They learn from the experience and we go back as better people with life in a better perspective,” Ruppert said in an interview during the construction of the houses.

Davitt said that he has great compassion for the needy people living in Jamaica. It is for that reason and more, he keeps coming back to assist.

“We come and have a wonderful time with the people, especially the contractors from Food For The Poor. There are beautiful persons in the country and it makes us feel really great and appreciated each time we reached out to help them,” Davitt said.

Davitt, Ruppert and their supporters have partnered with FFP Jamaica to construct five schools, more than 165 houses, a home for the elderly, as well as to equip a community with a sustainable fishing village project and to install two water projects since 2001.

Their efforts have improved the health and living conditions of many throughout Jamaica. In 2014, the group built a six-unit building for the students and teachers of Lewis Town Basic School in St Elizabeth and constructed a house for a resident in the area.

The 18 families who received Portland Cottage houses were grateful.

Odette Sawyers, one of the recipients, said, “I am really thankful this evening. I am so happy, I am overwhelmed. I am so happy for that and so happy to receive this special gift. I am honoured and thankful.”

Christine Dennis, 75, another housing recipient said, “I am so grateful that you could give me a house. I needed a new house so much. My house is so beautiful. Thank you for the wonderful gift you have given me.”

Source: http://www.loopjamaica.com/content/18-families-receive-homes-portland-cottage

'18 FAMILIES RECEIVE HOUSES IN PORTLAND COTTAGE' - Jamaica Observer - March 7, 2016

Volunteers and members of Food For The Poor Jamaica constructing one of the 18 houses donated to families in Portland Cottage, Clarendon.

KINGSTON, Jamaica - Eighteen families in Portland Cottage, Clarendon recently received new houses thanks to a donation of approximately J$11.52 million made by Chris Davitt and Craig Ruppert, along with their friends from the United States, and Food For The Poor (FFP).

Davitt and Ruppert, who have set one of their lives’ goals as donating annually to Jamaica, travelled to the island on February 12 with a team of 36. The group, assisted by staff members of Food For The Poor Jamaica, built the houses on February 13 and 14.

David Mair, Executive Director of FFP Jamaica, said he was pleased that these two gentlemen, along with their family and friends - who form the mission group ‘Davitt/Ruppert Family and Friends’ - had created an annual calendar event to journey to Jamaica and construct houses for the homeless.

“It costs approximately J$640,000 to construct one house. With Davitt, Ruppert and their family and friends’ initiative of constructing 18 houses, this sums up to approximately J$11.52 million. This is a grand donation!” Mair said in a recent interview.

Mair said the entire group epitomizes what it means to be your brother’s keeper.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/FOOD-POOR

FFP CELEBRATES 34 YEARS - News Release - February 29, 2016

– OVER US $11.4 BILLION IN FUNDING

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Kingston, Jamaica – February 29, 2016: Since its inception in 1982, international relief and development organization Food For The Poor Inc as completed 2,286 water projects, built and repaired over 350 schools, and built more than 107,800 housing units. The charity has distributed 75,000 shipping containers of goods. These contributions amount to more than US $11.4 billion in aid. The organization, which started serving in Jamaica, and is now serving the lives of the destitute in 17 countries throughout the Caribbean & Latin America, celebrated 34 years of service on February 12, 2016.

“None of this would be possible without God. We must give thanks for His tremendous blessings on this organization, and for the loving support of our donors who truly want to make a difference in the world. Our goal is to provide food, housing, water and an education to break the cycle of poverty,” said Robin Mahfood, President/CEO of Food For The Poor. “We understand that we cannot fix all of the problems, but we are committed to helping one person and one family at a time. This is what we are commissioned to do, to help one another.”

With offices located in Jamaica, Haiti and Guyana, FFP has helped families to generate income and to become self-sustaining by providing technical training in animal husbandry, agricultural and aquaculture projects. Sixty-nine fully operational fishing villages in Jamaica, Haiti and Honduras, and a tree programme, established in 2007, which has resulted in over 2 million fruit trees being planted, are prime examples of this.

“Food For The Poor remains dedicated to serving the less fortunate across the Caribbean and Latin America. The work is demanding, and the reward of sharing the joy and happiness of our beneficiaries is the fuel driving our 34-year-old Charity. We continue to execute professionally and extremely cost effectively, for all donors, ensuring maximum impact and transforming the lives of the poor,” said Mr. Andrew Mahfood, Chairman of FFP Jamaica.

“Food For The Poor Jamaica extends our deepest gratitude to our many donors, who have helped to increase the number of lives affected and the overall impact of our efforts. We especially want to thank Food for the Poor Inc (Florida) for their continued assistance in securing donors. Our doors are open to any person, group of persons, or entities for partnership in offering assistance to the poor,” said Mr. David Mair, Executive Director of FFP Jamaica.

Food For the Poor is one of the largest international relief and development organizations and provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational material, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 95 percent of all donations going directly to programmes that help the poor.

For more information, please contact:
Petri-Ann Henry, Public Relations Officer, Food For The Poor Jamaica. Cell: 564-2886
Laurelle J. Taylor, PROComm Tel: 665-5025 or 381-2747

Prepared by: PRO Communications Limited

'NEW BUILDING, NAME FOR BANANA GROUND BASIC SCHOOL - Jamaica Observer - February 22, 2016

IN HONOUR OF BARBARA E LEE HING: Anthony Lee Hing (right), widower of the late Barbara E Lee Hing, unveils the sign for the new school building following the dedication ceremony. Also sharing in the moment were: Minister of Education, Reverend The Honourable Ronald Thwaites (left) and Principal, Denise Johnson.

THE early childhood institution in the community of Banana Ground, Manchester, has a building all its own, and a new name too.

It is called Barbara E Lee Hing Banana Ground Basic School in honour of the late Barbara E Lee Hing whose family, along with Christos Ministries, in partnership with Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica, donated the funds for the work.

The new facility boasts three new classrooms, a sick bay, a computer room, an office, modern toilet facilities, and a playground. The premises were officially handed over on Friday, January 22.

Denise Foster, vice-principal, could not not hold back her tears.

“I have been with the school for the past 11 years and I am so thankful to God for this new building,” she told the
Jamaica Observer.

“We have fought for this for years, and to know that it has finally come to pass, I can say, ‘God is good’. The situation before was very dismal. We were located on the compound of a Seventh-day Adventist church and we had to pack up every Friday afternoon and every Wednesday afternoon before church was held. We had to take down all our charts, pack away all the children’s desks, teacher’s desks, everything. Then, come Monday morning, we had to redo the whole process again, and where we stored our stuff was actually on the dirt of the ground. So it was a very rough task for us,” she explained.

Member of parliament for Central Manchester Peter Bunting, and Education Minister Ronald Thwaites were present at the handover.

Bunting said he remembered when the school was housed in the Seventh-day Adventist church, and was relocated to its current location in an abandoned clinic building next door to its current spot.

“We’ve had three schools built by Food For The Poor in my constituency in the last two years, and for this, we are very grateful,” he said.

Added Thwaites: “Building a new school building and renaming it in the memory of someone who contributed significantly to the sector of education is a very high act. For the family of the late Barbara E Lee Hing to donate funds to build a school in her honour demonstrates a family who have reached the heights of what good human beings can become, by being their brother’s keeper.”

The Hing family chose Manchester because that’s the parish in which Barbara E Lee Hing was born, in 1943. She started her career in the field of early childhood education before teaching at her alma mater, Manchester High School, before emigrating to the United States.

CROSS SECTION OF BARBARA E LEE HING BASIC SCHOOL: A cross section of the new basic school building which was renamed in honour of the late Barbara E Lee Hing in Banana Ground, Manchester.

LISTENING KEENLY TO THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION: Students of Barbara E Lee Hing Banana Ground Basic School listening keenly to the Minister of Education, The Honourable Ronald Thwaites following the handover of the new school building.

'FOOD FOR THE POOR DONATES FOGGING MACHINES' - Jamaica Observer - February 21, 2016

Permanent secretary in the Ministry of Health Dr Kevin Harvey (second left), looks through some of the parts for mosquito fogging machines which were donated to the ministry by Food For The Poor Jamaica. Looking on (from left) are director, Environmental Health in the ministry, Everton Baker; Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Winston De La Haye; and executive director of FFP Jamaica, David Mair.

The Ministry of Health has received a donation of medication and mosquito fogging machines, valued at $5.7 million, from Food for the Poor (FFP) Jamaica.

The 6,000 bottles of paracetamol tablets and 19 portable foggers will assist the Government in its continued fight against the spread of mosquito-borne illnesses, such as the Zika Virus (ZikV).

The items were handed over during a ceremony held at the FFP offices, in St Catherine on Friday.

Addressing the ceremony, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry, Dr. Kevin Harvey, said the donation will help the Ministry to better respond to the demands for treatment of mosquito-borne illnesses, such as Dengue, Chikungunya and ZikV.

“Pharmaceuticals are a big item in health, and we are fully aware of the importance of having adequate supplies to meet the demand. Paracetamol is used as one of the main symptomatic treatment interventions for not only the Zika Virus, but Chikungunya, Dengue as well as Influenza. Hence, this donation is timely as we are in the flu season,” he said.
Dr. Harvey noted that cases of influenza viruses, including H1N1, are not only circulating in Jamaica, but right across the world. There are nine confirmed cases of H1N1 in Jamaica for this flu season.

He encouraged persons to be “extra careful” during this season, and to ensure that all precautionary measures are observed, such as proper hand washing and proper cough etiquette.

“If persons are feeling ill, they should minimise their contact with others in order to prevent the spread of the flu viruses,” he said.

Symptoms of the virus are similar to influenza and may include sneezing, coughing, runny and stuffy nose, fatigue and headache.

In the meantime, Executive Director, FFP Jamaica, David Mair, said the organisation “is extremely proud” to once again partner with the Ministry of Health to provide the necessary resources to reduce the effects of ZikV.

“With the donation , which was acquired through the head office in Florida, we hope to assist the Health Ministry in its overall preparedness for ZikV and ensure that those who cannot afford the treatment for recovery, will be able to access the necessary medication,” he said.

In 2014 when Chikungunya hit Jamaica, the FFP donated over 5,000 bottles of paracetamol tablets, 3,200 repellents and nine foggers to assist in fighting the disease.

ZikV is transmitted by the Aedes aegypti mosquito, which is found in and around areas where people live, work and play. The first case of the virus in Jamaica was confirmed by the Health Ministry in January.

It is from the same family of viruses as Dengue and Chikungunya, and share similar symptoms, which include fever, joint and muscle pain, conjunctivitis, headache, weakness, rash and swelling of the lower limbs.

The illness is usually mild with symptoms lasting from several days to a week.

Source: http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news/Food-For-The-Poor-donates-fogging-machines_52364