THE Jamaica Broilers Group has been making a significant contribution to the nation’s development through its many social programmes, giving back not only to residents in the communities it operates, but the wider Jamaica.

Although the chicken-producing giant opted not to put a dollar value to its numerous social programmes, the 54-year-old organisation is credited with allocating millions to fund these activities each year.

Brand Manager of The Best Dressed Chicken Division Cordia Panton Williams said some 200 persons benefit weekly from the offerings of the Spring Village Development Foundation, which serves residents of the Spring Village and neighbouring communities in St Catherine where the processing plant is located.

The Spring Village Foundation’s complex houses the Spring Village Training Institute which offers HEART Level One and Two courses; the after-work and homework centres; a literacy programme; an Internet-based community radio station, Spring FM; an apiary, funded by United Way, and which produces honey for sale; a music programme; and the Spring Village Producers and Marketing Organisation to support the farmers.

“We don’t really sing a lot about what we do but there are a number of persons are impacted by these programmes,” Panton Williams told the weekly Jamaica Observer Monday Exchange of reporters and editors at the newspaper’s head offices in Kingston.

Panton Williams said the foundation also supports the various schools in these communities and does a lot in the areas of education and sports. This includes an annual event to recognise the work of teachers in the schools the foundation covers.

“We usually have a great spread for our teachers every Teacher’s Day and we give them gifts because we really do appreciate the work our teachers have been doing for our country,” she explained , adding that they were able to fete more than 100 teachers this year.

Another initiative Jamaica Broilers uses to give back to the wider society is the Fun in the Son family fun day and gospel concert which attracts thousands of Jamaica to the free event, each year.

However, with Jamaica Broilers expansion into the neighbouring Haiti, the company said the signature event will now alternate between that country and Jamaica.

“It is a major production and you only have a small team in the back that makes it happen so we have to make sure we use the resources wisely because we don’t want to short change any market,” explained Divisional Sales and Marketing Manager of The Best Dressed Chicken Division Joan Forrest Henry.

She added: “Last year was big because it was Jamaica’s 50th anniversary and so this year we decided to focus on Haiti and next year it will be back here bigger and better.”

Meanwhile, Vice-President of Accounting and Information Systems at Jamaica Broilers Group Donald Patterson said the Jamaica Broilers Group Foundation provides and even wider reach.

“It is also in social programmes but at a wider level, with a mission to focus on things from a Christian standpoint to enhance the spirituality of the nation,” Patterson said.

Under this programme, the foundation provides grants to programmes in communities where its facilities are located, programmes with national impact and international projects.

The targets of such grants are to assist ministries working with children and youth, disadvantaged and at risk individuals, general evangelism, education and health programmes and community programmes in which the company’s staff is involved.

Jamaica Broilers provides employment to between 2,000 to 2,200 persons, including contract workers.