Cornwall Barracks, Portland – Joyce White, who survived last December’s market truck accident that claimed the lives of 14 people from Portland, including her 21-year-old son, Feston Telfer, was Saturday presented with a new two-bedroom house valued at just over $1 million.

The house was built by Scotiabank staffers, Food For the Poor volunteers and residents of this district.

But White was not the only recipient of Scotiabank’s generosity, as the Comfort Castle Primary and Junior High School was painted, chairs and desks cleaned and a new security post constructed.

Saturday’s humanitarian gesture had its genesis in a request made to Scotia by the school’s guidance counsellor, Theona Mattis, for a Risograph machine – a high-volume printer that prints up to 120 pages per minute and can give spot colour.

According to Debbie Clue, Scotiabank’s manager of corporate social responsibility and government affairs, “When we came and saw the community and realised that this was where that tragic accident took place last December, we decided that we wanted to do something more. Today, (Saturday) we are in Mill Bank assisting the Comfort Castle Primary and Junior High School painting, sanitising, cleaning up the school and making a new security house.”

Clue’s colleague, public relations exec Simone Hull, said Scotia was involved in many projects and contributes to the neighbourhood as good neighbours. “Wherever there is need, we are willing,” said Hull. “The work here is fantastic and we are pleased with the work at the school and the home. The cost for the projects is just over million dollars and it is in conjunction with Food For the Poor.”

Guidance counsellor Mattis said she was pleased with what Scotiabank was doing. “The school is healing slowly from the tragedy and we are looking for further help for the students,” she said.

Beth Carroll, Food For Poor’s director of projects, said they were happy to have been involved with the project because White’s family was in desperate need of help.

Carroll said they spent about $3 million repairing the roofs of about 50 houses in the district that were damaged by Hurricane Gustav last year.

Wayne Hewitt, Scotia’s vice-president for corporate banking, pointed out that White’s late son, Telfer, was the family’s main breadwinner, therefore Scotia was happy to assist.

“He had a plan to move the family to this location and we are helping to fulfil that plan here today,” said Hewitt.

Ian Telfer, Feston’s 14-year-old brother, said he appreciated the help because there were many times that he was not able to attend school because of a lack of money.

White expressed gratitude for Scotia’s gesture, saying “It is very rough on me, God bless them.”

At the same time, she is seeking medical help because she has a lump in her breast but is unable to buy medication.

White also said that she has not been back to the market since the accident as she became scared each time she saw the market truck.