The Gleaner – February 16, 2018
Seven families across the island now have a place to call home as result of a donation by Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) in May 2017 to the Food For the Poor (FFP) 5K Walk/Run event. The annual 5K is the main local fundraising vehicle for FFP’s housing initiative.
In addition to the first house, which SVL team members helped to build for Beverly Foote, in Irish Pen, St Catherine, in July of last year, homes were also built throughout the year for Calvin Walters in Pennant, Clarendon; Tameka Lawson in Trinityville, St Thomas; Marcia Ormsby in Bartons, St Catherine; Debbie-Ann Whyte in Spanish Town, St Catherine; Cordella Edwards in Guys Hill, St Mary; and Conroy Stanley in Race Course, Clarendon.
Foote, who was formerly incarcerated at the Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre, applied for the house while she was still behind bars. She said that even though she was serving time, she was still responsible for her eight children, who lived in a dilapidated structure.
Retired construction worker Calvin Walters said that his FFP house came after a five-year wait in a crumbling board structure.
“I refused to apply for the house for a long while, but I realised I couldn’t do it on my own, so I applied. It took five years, and I almost gave up when I saw two persons in my neighbourhood apply after me and get through before me, but I exercised patience, and God has been good,” he said.
MOVED TO TEARS
Development and marketing manager at Food For The Poor Jamaica Marsha Burrell said that Supreme Ventures’ coming on board as a contributor was serendipitous.
“When I saw that Supreme Ventures had come on board as a sponsor, tears came to my eyes. It was just at the right time. It takes so little to give a family a home, and it’s so much easier for persons who want to contribute to work with an organisation that is equipped like Food For The Poor,” Burrell said.
“Our hearts were really filled with joy when we handed over the keys to Miss Bev (Foote). We were just so moved to see what it meant to her and her family. To know that six other families were blessed in the same way is a blessing to us as well,” said assistant vice-president, group corporate communications, Simone Clarke-Cooper.
She added that the company is co its role as a good corporate citizen and would be continuing to strengthen its focus on its corporate social responsibility efforts in 2018.
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Article Link: http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/news/20180216/supreme-ventures-changes-lives-donations
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