The team at Downsound Entertainment (DSE) redoubled its efforts to alleviate the tough conditions faced by so many families and the elderly across the island due to COVID-19 through the distribution of care packages containing fresh produce, poultry, and canned goods.

With May being Child Month, the packages also included books, toys, and clothes for the children as part of the company’s latest effort, which benefited some 718 families in Montego Bay and St Catherine who received care packages . The move pushed the total number of families touched by the DSE team islandwide to over 1,500 in the last five weeks.

Chairman and CEO of DSE, Joe Bogdanovich, stated that the unprecedented suffering brought about by COVID-19 has reinforced the importance of being our brothers’ keepers. “The current situation is dire and while many of our population are facing great difficulties, our poor are most vulnerable. We at DSE believe that it is our responsibility to reach out to as many of them as we can. This motivated us to initiate a plan to provide food packages for families in need. We thank all the farmers [for fresh produce], Grace Foods, Carla Hollingsworth, Rotary Club of Kingston, the Jamaica Biscuit Company, Skyfall Entertainment, Romeich Entertainment, Donair Wilmoth, Ricardo Smith, and all who stopped by to drop off books and toys in support of the drive,” Bogdanovich said.

Over the past week, in addition to the 718 care packages delivered to families in Montego Bay and St Catherine, DSE donated toys and books to over 300 children. The Garland Hall Children’s Home in Anchovy and the SOS Children’s Village in Montego Bay both received food, toys, books, and bookshelves, benefiting over 100 children, and an additional 207 children in need were given toys and snacks.

To help celebrate Mother’s Day the DSE team recognised three special mothers with a presentation of Mother’s Day gift boxes with food, clothing, books, and toys. The first mother was Kerry Ann Anderson who gave birth to five sets of twins along with two other children. The second mother was Crystal Clarke, who has eight children. The third mother, Sheryl, who has three children, lost her main source of support with the death of her husband.

Kerry Ann and Crystal were laid off from their jobs with the onset of COVID-19.

The team also showed appreciation for the outstanding sacrifices of the front line workers at the Spanish Town Hospital and presented them with 40 care packages.

The DSE care package initiative began on April 1, 2020 when the team visited farmers in St Elizabeth and Trelawny to purchase ground provisions, and teamed up with Grace Foods, Pepsi, and Stylo G to distribute packages to families and individuals in need across Kingston and St Andrew.