FOOD FOR THE POOR HANDS OVER BASIC SCHOOL IN MEMORY OF STUDENT KILLED

Kingston, Jamaica: March 17, 2014

A great gesture indeed! Maxine Morris (right) principal of Rectory Basic School in Clarendon proudly displays a ‘thank you’ card made by students following the dedication of a new basic school building in honour of the memory of U.S. based university student Stephanie Crispinelli. Stephanie was killed during the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti while on a Food For The Poor (FFP) mission trip. Her parents Lenny (left) and Lin Crispinelli (centre) were presented with a token during the handover of the basic school on March 14. The Crispinelli’s along with relatives and friends have funded the construction of five basic schools in Jamaica to date.

Charity organization Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica and a group from the U.S. based Crispinelli Memorial Mission on Friday, March 14 provided students and teachers of the Rectory Basic School in Clarendon with their very own building. The new structure will accommodate up to 33 children.

The basic school is one of five constructed locally by FFP Jamaica and the mission team in honour of the memory of Stephanie Crispinelli, a Lynn University student who died in the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti. At the time of her death at 19 years old, Stephanie was on a mission trip with Food For The Poor.

Stephanie’s brother, Nick Crispinelli, was among the volunteers on the project. “Every time we come to Jamaica, we understand why Stephanie fell in love with this country. She was drawn to the people, the kids and their energy and this is also what inspires us each time. We hope that this new school will help to improve on what you already have.”

Principal of the school, Maxine Morris Miller outlined some of the challenges faced by the students and teachers prior to receiving the new building. Among these was insufficient space to comfortably accommodate the students; improper furniture; lack of water and electricity supplies; poor kitchen and bathroom facilities and the absence of an administrative office. “I am extremely proud to stand here today to say thanks to the Crispinelli team and Food For The Poor for answering our prayers, because for seven years I have been praying for a proper school. We no longer have to worry about sharing classrooms, bathrooms, or even chalkboards, Mrs. Morris Miller exclaimed.”

Member of Parliament for Central Clarendon, Mike Henry also welcomed the new structure.  “We appreciate what Food For The Poor has been doing for us as a country and this project is one way to get us out of poverty. In Jamaica, poverty is at an epidemic proportion but the construction of another basic school will help to fix that," he said.

Give me a five! Mike Crispinelli (right) brother of Stephanie Crispinelli, a Lyn University student who died in the January 12, 2010 earthquake in Haiti, is all smiles as he interacts with students of Rectory Basic School in Clarendon. The school was built and dedicated in honour of the memory of Stephanie who died while on a Food For The Poor (FFP) mission trip.  In preserving her memory, Stephanie’s parents, relatives and friends have funded the construction of five basic schools in Jamaica to date. This year, the team of 21 individuals assisted FFP Jamaica to build a school to serve 33 children and three teachers of Rectory Basic on March 14.

WESTMORELAND FAMILY GETS NEW HOUSE FROM FOOD FOR THE POOR FOLLOWING TRAGEDY

Kingston, Jamaica: March 18, 2014

Home at last! Janice Pilliner (third left) holds aloft the keys to a new house which was handed over by Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica on Monday, March 17 to her and her nieces and nephews on Dalling Street, Savanna-la-Mar. Others in the photo are from left: Pamella Miller, Savanna-la-Mar Assistant Branch Manager, Fontana Pharmacy; Lorenzo Stanton, Project Coordinator, Construction Services, FFP Jamaica; Jean Lowrie-Chin, Board Director FFP Jamaica; Ryan Pilliner and Deacon Baldwin Powell, Convenor of Food For The Poor's Western Committee. The Pilliner children were left orphaned after their parents were murdered by gunmen in late January. 

 

It was an elated Pilliner family that welcomed their new house on the afternoon of Monday, March 17 from Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica in Savanna-la-Mar, Westmoreland.

The family received the new two bedroom house, built by FFP Jamaica on Dalling Street, after the eight children’s parents were brutally killed by gunmen in late January. The house was constructed on land approved by the Westmoreland Parish Council.

Janice Pilliner, the childrens’ aunt who said she attended church regularly and took the children with her, could hardly contain her delight when she was presented with the keys to their new home. “Thanks to FFP for reaching out to the family and helping the children. It has been a tragic journey but we can move on from here with the help of God and persons who care like Food For The Poor,” she said.

Miss Pilliner’s remarks came after Deacon Baldwin Powell, Convenor of Food For The Poor’s Western Committee, blessed the house and said special prayers for the family, charging, "Whenever you enter through the door, say Peace be in this house.” 

 In addition to the house, Food For The Poor is providing the family with items of furniture, food and clothing. The childrens’ages range from four to nineteen.

Jean Lowrie-Chin, FFP Jamaica Board Director expressed gratitude to the children’s aunt and a community which she said was rallying around the family. She also expressed thanks to Fontana Pharmacy represented by Savanna-la-Mar Assistant Branch Manager, Pamella Miller.

Fontana Pharmacy is a participant in FFP Jamaica’s Charity Box venture and has made the highest contribution across the island. Mrs. Miller said the Pharmacy chain was only too happy to assist. “It is very fitting that we are part of this, we have always been part of community projects, and it is good that FFP could come in and offer such support. It was very sad when we learnt of it and we will do whatever we can to ensure the continued support of this family,” she told the gathering at the handover event.

Among those in attendance at the ceremony were representatives of FFP Jamaica’s Social Outreach and Construction teams.

FOOD FOR THE POOR TO BUILD HOUSE FOR CHILDREN OF MURDERED WESTMORELAND COUPLE

Kingston, Jamaica: March 13, 2014

FFP Brings Relief: Myrtle Brown (left) Projects Development Officer at Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica hands out food packages to members of a family in Savannah-la-Mar, Westmoreland. Eight children from the family were left orphaned after their parents were killed by gunmen in late January.  In addition to providing them with food packages, the charity organization is building a house for the family on land provided by the Westmoreland Parish Council.

The eight children in Savannah-la-Mar, Westmoreland who were left orphaned in late January  after their parents were brutally killed by gunmen, are to receive a new roof over their heads this weekend from Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica. The children’s ages range from four to nineteen years.

The charity organization stepped in shortly after the family’s story was published in The Observer newspaper on February 6. The house will be constructed this Saturday, on Dalling Street, Savannah-la-Mar, on land approved by the Westmoreland Parish Council.

Within days of the incident, a team from FFP Jamaica visited the family in an effort to determine their needs and delivered food packages containing rice, cornmeal, peas and sardines. The FFP team has since continued to offer support.

Westmoreland Family Kitchen

Kitchen area used by family of orphaned children in Westmoreland whose parents were shot       

dead by gunmen in late January. In addition to providing food packages, the charity organization is

building a house for the family on land provided by the Westmoreland Parish Council.

FFP Jamaica’s Chairman, Andrew Mahfood, explained, “This was just another opportunity to help another Jamaican family in need. We couldn’t turn our back on the children when we read of their plight. We just had to step in and help in whatever way we could, in the true spirit of Food For The Poor’s mission.”

Executive Director at FFP Jamaica, Jacqueline Johnson, added, “Our team of investigators has now determined what the needs of the family are and we have so far addressed the major areas. In addition to building a house we are also providing furniture, food and clothing.”

The children are currently being cared for by an aunt. 

FFP Brings Relief: Myrtle Brown (centre) Projects Development Officer at Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica delivers food packages to members of a family in Savannah-la-Mar, Westmoreland. Eight children from the family were left orphaned after their parents were killed by gunmen in late January. In addition to providing them with food packages, the charity organization is building a house for the family on land provided by the Westmoreland Parish Council.

BACKGROUND

Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica is the largest charity organization in Jamaica. Food For The Poor Inc., located in Florida, U.S.A. is the largest international relief organization in the United States. It is an interdenominational Christian organization that assists the poor in 17 countries in the Caribbean and Latin America.

FFP Jamaica partners with a number of stakeholders including churches, non-governmental and private sector organizations, children’s homes and service organizations throughout the island that deal directly with the poor to fill their most urgent needs and to encourage self-sufficiency. The work of Food For The Poor is funded by donations.

DIGICEL JAMAICA REPORTS STRONG GROWTH IN DATA AND 4G SUBSCRIBERS CEO, Barry O’Brien Says Data Penetration up 40%, Data Plan Subscription up 50%

Kingston, Jamaica – Monday, March 3, 2014

  Digicel Jamaica is reporting strong double-digit growth in data revenues and data plan subscribers over the last quarter ending December 2013. This, according to CEO, Barry O’Brien, is due to effective strategies over the past year to deliver value, choice and innovation to all its customers across Jamaica.

Data Gains from Investment

Speaking about the gains made in data, the telecommunications company is reporting a 40% increase in data penetration, which was broadly facilitated by a focused strategy designed to ensure that more people across Jamaica have access to affordable smartphones and data plans. “More and more customers are realising that when they purchase a data plan they manage their data spend better and their overall data experience”, O’Brien said. The company also said that customers have been responding favourably to its range of affordable data plans which start from as low as J$70 for two days. In fact, the number of data subscriptions has increased by 50%.

Meanwhile, following the introduction of its own line of smartphones in the market over the past year, the company is also reporting very positive uptake from customers who want access to the internet on more affordable mobile devices. “What we are seeing is that customers are moving towards Android based smartphones. To that end, last year we introduced the Digicel range of Android smartphones (DL600 and DL700) and these are currently doing far better than traditional smartphones like Samsung, Nokia and BlackBerry in terms of sales,” added O’Brien. In the last 2 months for example, Digicel said it sold over 28,000 of its smartphones while during the past year, well over 60,000 were sold.

4G Mobile Expansion to 92% Population Coverage

The company is also reporting an increase of an additional 200,000 subscribers to its 4G mobile network, which they say is broadly due to continuous investment. “We recognize that there is a growing appetite for access to the internet and access to data and we are happy to be facilitating this demand. As such, Digicel is in the process of rolling out an additional 170 4G mobile sites across the island which will see us increasing our 4G network coverage from 80% to 92% population coverage.

“In the past year, we invested over $6 billion in our 4G network, and this is in addition to an investment of J$7b over two years ago. We will continue to innovate while ensuring stability of our network to deliver superior experiences for all our customers as we move Jamaica to being a smarter economy”, closed O’Brien.