135 Bartons children feted by local community charity

This year’s annual initiative feted children with food, fun and games and packages with educational necessities for the upcoming school year.

Founding member Jeffrey Douglas says the charity, originally started as a church programme, has grown over the last 13 years.

“I decided to widen it so it’s not just for children within the church but rather for the community and neighbouring communities.

“I titled it 100Plus because the aim was to provide bags for 100 students or more,” said Douglas, who noted support from the Carmel Fellowship Redeemed Church of God in Six Miles, Bartons, where the vent was held, and the Dr Kurt Waul Foundation.

Since expanding its reach to the wider community Douglas says the charity, which he intends to formally register in short order, has banked on the support of close friends such as former schoolmates, past colleagues in the teaching profession, past students he’d taught and their parents.

“This year we ended up with close to 150 students receiving school packages; not all of them received school bags because we didn’t have adequate amount of school bags but we are able to do packages for close to 150… I think the real number is 135. In addition to providing the school supplies we feed them as well; so we provide a cooked meal, a cold drink and ice cream for them,” said the St Catherine High alumnus who also taught at Old Harbour High before moving into his current role of vice principal, Denbigh High.

The educator tells Old Harbour News that this year’s edition was primarily due to the kind acts of 15 persons who pooled their resources “to make this happened”.

“Whatever we get we just use it to stretch and to make this a reality,” he added. “The intention is to officially register now as non-profitable organization.

“Next year the target will shift from 100 to 200 bags with supplies. Not sure we’ll meet that target but by the grace of God that’s where we will want to put it because it is really growing.”