The Maxfield Park Children’s home says they are grateful for the in pour of Christmas donations from both individuals and members of Corporate Jamaica over the past weeks.

According to the Home’s manager, Winston Bowen, Christmas is the time when more people come forward to give both of themselves and also other donations to the institution.

“We are always in need and very thankful. We utilise whatever we get, especially because some of the students here have special needs and we try to meet them as much as possible,” he said.

Bowen also informed that the home which has been open for over 85 years currently houses 105 children ranging from newborn babies to 18-year-olds.

On December 1, when the Jamaica Observer visited the facility, the Happy and Bilingual Foundation, the charity arm of Happy and Bilingual — a language and education school that teaches French and Spanish — were hosting a Christmas treat for the Children at the home.

The hall in which the treat was kept was adorned with Christmas decorations and children engaged in a short devotion, games and sung Christmas carols.

“The goal is for them to have fun and forget about where their location is,” said the founder of Happy and Bilingual, Tanisha Colquhon, while adding that the school raised funds overseas to help with donations for the children.

“We don’t want them to feel less fortunate; we want them to know that someone loves and cares for them,” said Colquhon.

Meanwhile, Bowen pointed out that, “some people might not have a gift to give, but they come in and help out by combing hair, sing to the children and overall demonstrating love to them, so that also helps”.

“We have gotten washing machines, clothing iron, iron boards, toiletries, food items and a TV for our smaller children to aid with the stimulation and growth of their educational development.”

However, while thankful for the inpour of gifts and services, Bowen told the Observer that the privately owned institution needed help with renovating infrastructure.

“The buildings need some upgrading; we need repairs to some of the roofing particularly over by JELLIFFE where the babies are housed,” he said, the structure was leaking.

He added that the administration building needed to be “condemned because it is old”.

Chairman of the board of the Maxfield Park Children’s Home, Emprezz Golding, also echoed the need for help with infrastructure.

Golding said the board had recently completed a plan outlining the needs of the home.

“The home needs more security, agricultural programmes, infrastructure [repairs such as] moving the office and getting rid of the termites,” she said, while motioning to the deteriorating roof at the front of the administrative building.

The chairman also pointed out that the board wanted to make the dorms more homely.

“When people want to support the home, we want them to ask us what are our priority needs. Sometimes we may have an excess of things, but Mr Bowen is very kind and shares it with other homes as well.”

“It is not just physical things that we need, we also need support for long sustainable programmes and people spending mentorship time with the children,” she said.

Bowen also added that the Maxfield Home was in need of a bus.

“We would want at least a 15-seater to carry the children around to their various activities,” he said.

— Deandra Morrison