Old Harbour charity founder Donna Moore Stewart honoured on Heroes Day

She was among 12 individuals recognized at the annual event yesterday (October 21) organized by the St Catherine Municipal Corporation.

In a post on social media in which the New Yorker was visibly emotional, she wrote: If you know me. I was holding back the ugly thankfulness tears. Over the last 30 years I served others consistently. You will never see the scars I received through this process, the losses I endured and the list goes on. Thanks (sic) you St. Catherine [Municipal Corporation] for this Heroes Day Award.”

Named in honour of their late mother Carmen ‘Miss Polly’ Hines, the family founded charity began its philanthropic journey in 1994 out of Bodles, Old Harbour and has grown from strength to strength with each year that passes.

In the last few years the movement, which is officially registered as a charity in both the United States and Jamaica, has been in the spotlight for all the right reasons, touching the lives of the less fortunate in not only their home town and parish of Old Harbour, St Catherine, but across Jamaica, the Caribbean and on the continent of Africa.

Its impact has not gone unnoticed with the US Government honouring Moore Stewart in 2022 the most notable recognition since the charity was established in 1994.

That the Pollyanna CEO was honoured on the day that Jamaicans celebrated its National Heroes is symbolic in that the work of the charity is making a powerful and inspiring statement to those in the halls of power at the local state level.

She would later tell state media the JIS that this latest recognition will only empower her to continue to serve humanity.

In ending her social media post Moore Stewart acknowledged the team behind the charity, while paying homage to her late mom.

“Stick and stay Pollynators this one is for you too,” she said. “Thanks for putting me to work. Miss Polly, this one is for you.”

Moore Stewart now joins a long list of past and present Old Harbour residents and natives to be recognised by the St Catherine Municipal Corporation at its annual Heroes Day awards ceremony.

Last year the municipality honoured Old Harbour Bay native Professor Dexter B Gordon, a distinguished professor of African American history at the University of Puget Sound and executive vice president at the Evergreen State College.