THE Courtleigh Hospitality Group (CHG) recently donated items valued at approximately $500,000 to the Marie Atkins shelter for the homeless on Hanover Street in downtown Kingston.

The hotel group, which includes The Courtleigh Hotel and Suites, Knutsford Court Hotel and Jamaica Pegasus in Kingston, started a “Spread A Smile” donation drive with items donated by team members and the hotel itself to help fight homelessness in light of the global pandemic.

“Our team and the hotels combined were able to provide a variety of food, tin items, beverage, sanitation items, toiletries and linen to care for the homeless in this difficult time,” said Group Director of Marketing Sales Nicola Madden-Greig.

“In this time we have to play our part in not just caring for ourselves but those around us in need and we were more than happy to support the homeless,” Madden-Greig said. She thanked not only the supportive staff members but also the guests who donated as well.

“Through our Pack for a Purpose Programme at the hotels, we received toiletries that could greater assist our homeless and we are grateful for their continued support of this initiative,” she added.

The Pack for a Purpose Programme implemented by the hotels assists Kingston-based charities such as Open Arms Drop In Shelter, Marie Atkins Night Shelter, Alpha Boys’ Institute and Missionaries of the Poor.

Inspector of the Marie Atkins shelter, Mavis Farquharson, speaking on behalf of her team, expressed sincere gratitude to the CHG. “This is more than awesome and will assist persons at our shelter here on Church Street and in Denham Town,” Farquharson said, adding that more than 120 homeless people would benefit from the donations given by the Courtleigh group.

The Marie Atkins Night Shelter is a project of the Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation, in partnership with several private-sector companies and non-governmental organisations. It provides shelter and meals for many homeless persons.

Mayor of Kingston Delroy Williams, who was also present at the handing-over ceremony, said he was pleased with the support being given by corporate Jamaica to the homeless. “It helps to motivate us and to know that persons are very interested in the homeless population and generally across the municipality.”

“This is a good sign as to where we are going as a city and it demonstrates the characteristic traits of the residents and companies within our municipality,” said the mayor.

According to the Courtleigh group, the Spread a Smile donation drive will be ongoing throughout the period of the pandemic to further provide for the homeless in Kingston. Additional donations, it said, can be dropped off at any of its hotels.