Gleaner Honour Awards | Food For The Poor - Doing God's Work - Jamaica Gleaner - 23 January 2017

The Reliance Basic School in Braeton, St Catherine. The school was built by Food For The                 Poor Jamaica.

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

Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica is the largest charity organisation in the country. It's also, arguably, the most respected. That reputation has been built over many years of providing crucial, life-saving assistance to persons in the darkest moments of their lives. The value of that kind of service is immeasurable.

FFP Jamaica's parent organisation - Food For The Poor Inc, located in the United States - is the largest international relief and development organisation in that country. The interdenominational Christian organisation assists the poor in 17 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America. In Jamaica, that work has provided more than material aid to those in need - it has given hope to the hopeless and returned joy to those who hurt.

FFP Jamaica partners with a number of stakeholders, including churches, non-governmental and private-sector organisations, children's homes and service organisations across the island that deal directly with the poor to fill their most urgent needs and to encourage self-sufficiency. FFP Jamaica has stated that its work reflects God's unconditional love. Those who have witnessed FFP Jamaica at work could scarcely disagree.

The stated purpose behind FFP Jamaica's work is made clear in its mandate: "Our mission is to link the churches, civic and other charity organisations already operating in areas of need, in a manner that helps both the materially poor and the poor in spirit."

This truly is God's work. It is for this reason that Food For The Poor Jamaica is the recipient of the 2016 Gleaner Honour Award for Voluntary Service.

Roof Over My Head - Jamaica Gleaner - 14 January 2017

                                               Sponsor Pauline Fearon, left, Kitanya Bruce and Mother Roxanne Williams.

After pouring out her all in The Gleaner on September 10, 2016, Roxanne Williams is back in a more cheerful mood saying thanks to all who have assisted her while she was at her lowest. She is now the owner of a house donated by Food For the Poor in December last year - just in time for Christmas. Williams says that she is now in a better place physically and mentally, having been able to provide a stable place to call home for her four children.

She shared how much of a struggle life has been for her since she was released from prison two years prior. She was unable to school her children or put a roof over their heads because she was unable to get a job to provide for their needs.

"We moved in one week after receiving the house. That was my Christmas and New Year's gift, and trust me, I've never felt this good in a long time. The first morning after we moved in my kids wake up and say, 'Mommy, we slept so good last night. Nobody fi shut door inna we face again or turn off the light pan we again'," she said, adding that she was moved to tears having heard that after all they had been through.

"Mi never live nowhere an mi always inna struggle fi sen mi children to school. Sometimes I can't even find food, so I'm thankful to Food For the Poor for the house, and to Pauline Fearon, owner of the Whitfield Bakery, for sponsoring my daughter, Kitanya Bruce, for the next three years she has in high school. I feel elated and my heart is more than happy" she told Family and Religion.

Williams says that she will now focus on schooling the three younger children, Ammade Bruce, eight 8; Towanna Clarke, five; and Qwanna Clarke, four.

"I don't have any subjects, but I'm willing to do whatever it takes to look after them and provide a proper meal for them at night. I want for them what I never had, and that includes a good education."

Pauline Fearon owns and operates the Whitfield Bakery and Pastries in Clarendon and will be sponsoring Kitanya through the James and Friends Education Programme, with which she has been affiliated for over eight years.

"It's extremely rewarding to assist persons in need, because people end up in situations because of various factors. But at the end of the day, if I can assist someone to get an education, then I will do my best to help" she said.

She provides a breakfast programme, which is a package that includes bread, bulla, and snacks to be used in the mornings before they go to school. Students also receive a small stipend for bus fare to pick up the items.

"I try to visit schools and do motivational speeches and I also provide a monthly allowance to assist with school expenses," added Fearon.

In response to Fearon's kind gesture, Kitanya says that she is very thankful to her for affording her the opportunity to get an education and promises to do her best.

"I pray God will bless them so they can help others."

"The happiness I'm feeling right now can't be explained. Looking back how far we have come ... . Right now it's not about me, it's about them, and I am trusting God to help me find a job so I can be able to provide for them. Again I'm saying thanks to all who assisted me and helped to get my kids back into school. I was on the road hustling juice, and because police constantly chasing vendors, I fell with the goods one day. Mi no give up, but I would like to try something else right now," said Williams.