I’m getting set to leave the snow that still holds Ottawa in it’s grip and make a return to Jamaica. My brother and I are joining a Food for the Poor Canada FFTP trip to help build an Infant School in Hampden, Trelawney. This will be my third school build with FFPC, and Eric’s first, although he has been involved in making some medical equipment donations in the past.
If I am not too exhausted (or haven’t hurt myself with a hammer or power tool😊) I will try to post some photos and impressions next week. There is a world famous Hampden Rum Estate just down the road from the school build…so that will require some time as well…
But whether or not I can get to posts next week, I want to take a moment to introduce you to FFPC. We would really welcome anyone who reads this to join us in working to help build Jamaica and Haiti, the two countries where we have our focus.
AT FFPC we are in our 10th year of operation. Since then, with generous donations of money, time and goodwill from our supporters we have
- built 27 schools,
- 65 homes and
- shipped 60 containers of food, medicines, educational supplies and emergency supplies.
Here is an excellent video that celebrates this accomplishment.
Last year alone, Canadian donors built 5 schools, our largest number so far. We shipped 8 containers of food, medicines, and school supplies to Haiti and Jamaica providing over 3 million meals and saving lives with $800,000 worth of medicines. We shipped two containers of lumber and zinc to Dominica after Hurricane Irma to repair and rebuild 200 homes.
Our plans for the next little while have us focussing on building a sustainable community in Haiti with 30 houses, a community well, solar panel street lights and a chicken farm. Donations and Involvement from you will help us to build this community even more.
We are also planning to build more schools in Jamaica to increase access to education for the youngest children. Donations and involvement from you will help us to give these kids a good start to their lives.
And we will organize shipments of food, medicine and educational supplies to Haiti and Jamaica, again with help from people like you.
I would invite you visit our webpage www.foodforthepoor.ca Follow us on Twitter @FoodForThePoorC and on Facebook Food For the Poor Canada to learn more about what we do. I would also urge you to consider giving to the organization so that we can continue what we are doing. We will welcome you to join us at future school and community builds.
I can tell you it’s the best way to go south and leave something more long-lasting than just your footprints in the sand!
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