BEATRICE Brown has long been known as a ‘Good Samaritan’ in her Seven Rivers community in Cambridge St James. But the recent heavy rains forced her and her 10 children to flee their home — a tiny wooden shack, perched on the bed of the Great River.

Now, it is the Sandals Royal Caribbean Hotel’s charity committee that has extended a hand of help to the 37 year-old single mom and her family.

They recently journeyed 30 miles outside Montego Bay to give the family $40,000 worth of supplies, including linen and foodstuff.

Two days before the team’s visit, the family had been forced to flee their home after torrential rains swamped the modest dwelling. The Sandals team had to traverse a mile-long dirt track before they could reach the makeshift home the family had constructed from plywood, as a replacement for their lost home.

“These (supplies) will really help me out,” a grateful Brown told the team as she emerged from the small building. “We have nothing left.”

Brown and her family are no strangers to adversity. Brown, the breadwinner, usually ekes out a living by working odd jobs such as domestic chores. Caring neighbours have tried to help and have provided her with a one-acre plot of land on which she plans to farm small crops.

But until the resort’s charity committee secures enough from its fundraising initiative launched on Brown’s behalf, the land will remain idle as her hand-to-mouth existence does not permit any form of investment in this venture.