By Tyrone Reid, Staff ReporterTHE AMERICAN Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) has donated approximately $24.5 million in cash and kind to the invaluable efforts of 15 non-profit organisations.
The presentations were made on Friday at the AFJ's 22nd annual awards luncheon held at American Ambassador, Sue Cobb's Long Lane residence.
Ambassador Cobb lauded the invaluable contributions of the non-profit organisations to society.
"They represent the strong bonds between the people of the United States and Jamaica, and our shared interests in making our neighbourhood a better place to live," she said.
Representatives from the non-profit organisations were all smiles. They told The Gleaner that their allotted amount will go a long way in satisfying the needs of their organisations.
Martena Alves-Weatherly, administrator, MoBay Hope Medical Centre in Rose Hall, Montego Bay, sported the broadest smile of them all, as her organisation received one of the largest cash grants.
At first she was reluctant to say how much. But, then she cracked the envelope a tad, peeked inside, and said it was in excess of US$10,000. Mrs. Alves-Weatherly said without the kind-hearted donations the efforts of her seven-year-old organisation would be paralysed.
She added that the donations are mandated for certain uses and a lot of it is designated to fund services for under privileged persons.
"The particular grant is two-fold ....it is to go towards our special patients' fund for patients who are unable to pay the cost of their treatment and the remainder of the grant is to be used for the purchase of medical supplies, medical equipment and related items," she said.
Karen Grant, chairperson of the Friends of Hopewell also sported an ear to ear smile. "It is a great boost, it helps a lot," she said.
Her organisation also received a US$10,000 grant, which is to go towards the remedial reading programme it has been running for the past three years in the Bethel Primary and Junior High School and the Success Primary and Junior High School.
"We employ two teachers on a yearly basis and they teach children who are not so versed in reading or in phonics and take them up to the GSAT level. The programme has been going well for the past three years. We also help by assisting the teachers in enhancing their educational skills in terms of furthering their education," Ms. Grant said.
She stated that the grant would "basically take care of the teaching aids and the teachers salaries for the year".
The Foundation for International Self Help Development (Ja) Limited, Denham Town Community Centre, the Jamaica Society for the Blind, the New Roads Basic School in Westmoreland and the Good Shepherd Foundation whose Hope Hospice is a facility for HIV/AIDS patients, were among the other non-profit organisations that also benefited from the grants.
