The Supreme Ventures Foundation (SVF) hit the road last Thursday to bring back-to-school cheer to children from the Jamaica National and Strathmore children’s homes.

The team brought school bags packed with stationery, personal care items and 40 book vouchers valued at $5,000 each to the wards of the Jamaica National Children’s Home (JNCH), who are housed at the Stony Hill-based Homestead facility.

The 40 children were relocated to Homestead after a fire destroyed the Jamaica National Children’s Home in Papine, St. Andrew on August 9.

SVF Director Heather Goldson, who led the team, said they felt compelled to reach out to the children from JNCH after they were advised of how much the children had lost in the fire by officers from the Child Protection and Family Services Agency.

“We are grateful that no lives were lost, and no one was injured in that fire, however, the children still suffered a tremendous setback when most of their school supplies and personal items were destroyed. Our donation will help to replace some of what was lost and bring back a semblance of normalcy back to their lives,” she said.

Two of the children among the JNCH wards were also former wards of Walker’s Place of Safety which was also destroyed by fire in January 2018. Two children lost their lives in that blaze.  The event further reinforced the importance of the Supreme Ventures Foundation’s current drive to update fire safety in homes across the country.

After the handover at Homestead, the team travelled to the Strathmore Children’s Home in Spanish Town, St Catherine where they donated another 40 packed bags and book vouchers valued at $200,000.

Supreme Ventures Group, Vice President, Marketing, Communications and Sponsorship, Gail Abrahams said the Foundation is aimed at maintaining relationships with the various homes,

“Children in State Care is one of the mandates of the Foundation and we are truly vested in the homes we engage. We had our Labour Day project at Strathmore and refurbished their laundry facilities and updated their fire safety equipment.  We are invested in doing what we can to improve the circumstances and surroundings that our most vulnerable children live in” she said.

Source: http://www.loopjamaica.com/content/supreme-ventures-foundation-supports-childrens-home-fire-victims