SSTC students exemplify true kindness
IN A commendable act of caring and sharing, guidance counsellors in training at the Sam Sharpe Teachers’ College (SSTC) in Granville, St James, recently j oined forces with Food For The Poor to provide much-needed care packages to some 150 needy residents in the neighbouring communities of Granville, Pitfour, and Tucker.
The students, who are pursuing their degree in guidance counselling at the college, brought life and meaning to one of Mother Teresa’s f amous quotes – “A sacrifice, to be real, must cost, must hurt, and must empty ourselves” – last Friday when they donned their masks, defied the COVID-19 pandemic, and carried out their selfless act of kindness.
Interestingly, several of the students who participated in the endeavour are themselves in need. However, they ‘emptied themselves’to make a difference in cushioning the hardship brought on by the pandemic on those who benefitted from their kindness.
“It is a practice for the college to reach out to residents of the Granville community over the years, but because of the difficulty in getting some things done, we weren’t going to have the outreach this year. However, the guidance counselling students said they wanted to do it,” said Sheron Matheson, a senior lecturer at the college.
Matheson said the clothing, footwear, toiletries, and sundry items that the students distributed were provided by students or came through donations from Food For The Poor.
“Next March, students of the college will set aside a day in which they will donate their lunches to feed members of the community,” stated Matheson.
The beneficiaries of the act of kindness by the SSTC students include children and senior citizens, who were chosen with the help of church leaders in the communities.
“Initially, the plan was to provide for 60 persons, but the support of the students was so overwhelming that we ended up catering to 150,” added Matheson.