Rotary Club of Kingston gifts home to needy family
CHRISTMAS IS a time for giving and receiving, and a time to remember others less fortunate than ourselves. With this in mind, the Rotary Club of Kingston recently handed over a home to a family in the Maxfield Park community in Kingston.
The Rotary Club of Kingston is passionate about ‘Rotary: Making a Difference!’ and has partnered with Food For The Poor Jamaica to rekindle the hope of the less fortunate in constructing four homes, one per quarter, as part of their major project for 2017-2018.
According to Michael Buckle, president of the club, they seek to bring goodwill to those in need, while coinciding with the true spirit of Christmas. It is important, he said, that no matter how difficult it might be, someone you know might need assistance.
“We have assisted a family in need and we see this as an opportunity to invest in the lives of the family members. We see where the children are active in school and we know that with the newly provided accommodation, they will be able to study at nights in better conditions, and in the long term transform their lives,” Buckle said.
Apart from handing over the house, the Rotarians also gave the family much-needed items for the home.”We also wanted to transform the house into a home. When they move in they will be comfortable,” Buckle said.
Marsha Burrell-Rose, development and marketing manager at Food for the Poor
Jamaica, said they were happy to partner with the Rotary Club of Kingston in helping to transform the lives of those in need.
“We have a similar tagline in making a difference. We are looking forward to completing this project with our overall goal at Food for the Poor to build 100 houses across the island,” Burrell-Rose said. “We are able to help with the donations we received from our 5K, and we are encouraging persons to participate again next year on May 12 so we can continue to help families that
need of adequate housing.”
For Yvonne Burton, affectionately called ‘Ms Angie’, it was a reality she had prayed for over many years. Her family, including four children and grandchildren, had lived in a dilapidated structure with a leaking roof and rotten boards overrun with termites.
Burton expressed her gratitude for the timely gift: “I feel happy about the donation. When I needed the assistance, they were there for me. I really appreciate what everyone has done for me.”