FRUITFUL VALE, PORTLAND — Four more families who lost their homes during Hurricane Sandy received keys to their new houses, built by Food For The Poor (FFP) and financed by a $3-million donation by Supreme Ventures Ltd, at a handing-over ceremony in the parish on Friday.

This brings to 30, the total number of families to receive this much-needed Christmas gift under the programme and follows last Thursday’s handing over of six of 10 new homes in Hamilton Mountain, St Mary, by FFP and another corporate donor who contributed $5.7 million.

In addition, FFP has matched these donations to construct an additional 15 houses in St Mary, Portland and St Thomas. The communities in St Thomas which are benefiting include Johns Town, Pamphret and Dumphries.

Food For The Poor and the corporate donors collaborated with the Portland/Eastern Parishes Hurricane Relief Fund, which was established on October 29, and had oversight for the relief initiative.

Thirty-year-old single mother of four, Shelly-Ann Whyte, a recipient of one of the new two-bedroom homes in Fruitful Vale, said her two-bedroom board house as well as furniture, clothing and her daughter’s Grade Six Achievement Test books were destroyed during the category one hurricane.

“I was very distressed, but once I heard the mention of Food For the Poor, I knew help was on the way,” Whyte said, adding that she was overwhelmed and thankful.

Whyte was so happy to again have a home for herself and her family that she could not wait for the handing-over ceremony, opting instead to move in the night before to sleep on makeshift sponge beds. And when it started to rain, she reports, they rejoiced that they no longer had “to set up buckets to catch water”.

“I was at the shelter down the road, and when I hear that the house blow down I found myself outside and was stepping on the ply in the road. And when I got here I had to just stand and take a deep breath,” she said, adding, “I only find about five or six pieces of the ply and zinc because everything was totally destroyed.”

She added further, “I had to stop and cry it off a bit and started to pick up the pieces and wondering what next from here”.

Executive Director of FFP Jamaica Jacqueline Johnson said the families would receive not only sturdy new two-bedroom houses, but a full range of furniture. This included, for each family, tables, chairs, stoves, beds, mattresses, stoves, and solar lamps.

Johnson noted that her early, first-hand view of the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy had made it clear to her that housing assistance would be critical. She offered sincere thanks to the supporting donors, and to the Hurricane Relief Fund for allowing FFP to continue serving the poorest of the poor.

She further expressed appreciation to the contractors and FFP team members who had worked tirelessly to ensure the completion of the homes. She urged the recipients to take care of the structures, and hoped they would enjoy the gifts.

Supreme Ventures Corporate Communications Officer Carlene Edwards said her company was thrilled to have partnered with FFP in donating several houses to persons and families that have been severely affected by Hurricane Sandy in the parishes of Portland, St Thomas and St Mary.

“Our contribution of $3m to Food for the Poor, for the building of these units, will no doubt help to put these recipients’ lives back together, especially, as we approach the Yuletide season. Upon seeing the devastation that took place after the hurricane, we made a commitment to assist in this effort and today we are humbled to be on location, assisting with the restoration of so many families,” she said.

Member of Parliament for Western Portland and Founder of the Portland/Eastern Parishes Hurricane Relief Fund Daryl Vaz thanked FFP and Supreme Ventures for their contributions to the Fund and overall efforts since Hurricane Sandy.

“This illustrates that when we work together a lot can happen, and it’s a pleasure to know that the recipients will be moving in just in time for Christmas,” he said.

He added further, “It is not an easy task to co-ordinate these efforts; so I want to thank the sponsors, the government officials and the Portland/Eastern Parishes Hurricane Relief Fund for helping to alleviate the suffering of those whose homes got damaged”.

He noted also that it was good to be able to deliver some of the houses before Christmas.

“It is a pleasure to know that we could actually do some houses before Christmas. And what I want to ask is that the other residents who have been affected have a little patience. This is a process that obviously everybody cannot get attention at one time,” he said.

Meanwhile, Vaz warned that the help is for the needy and not the greedy and commended the government agencies for the work being done as the co-ordination is not an easy task.