SIX hundred vulnerable families and shut-ins from Old Harbour, Hayes and Montego Bay who are on Government’s PATH programme were overjoyed when presented with hampers of food and personal care items by the New Fortress Energy (NFE) Foundation.

New Fortress said the packages, which included chicken and a Christmas cake, contain items to last a family of five for about one month.

Verona Carter, vice-president at New Fortress Energy, said: “We are always looking for meaningful and practical ways to help those who are most vulnerable in our society because giving back is at the heart of who we are at NFE. We are happy to partner with Food For The Poor Jamaica for the third-consecutive year to deliver food packages to these families, especially at Christmas, so that they can enjoy a proper meal with their families and loved ones this holiday.”

The initiative, which first started during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic when the first community in Hayes, Clarendon, was placed under quarantine, was done in partnership with Food For The Poor Jamaica and supported by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, which manages the PATH programme.

Kivette Silvera, executive director at Food For The Poor Jamaica, explained that, “On any given day, we get requests for thousands of people who need help, and the number of these requests double at this time of year. As a charity, we rely purely on donations and partnerships with companies like New Fortress Energy to help as many people as possible. We commend NFE Foundation for always leading with their hearts and we would like to invite more of corporate Jamaica to partner with us so we can help even more people because the needs are indeed great.”

In addition to the food hampers, New Fortress Energy Foundation also donated toys to more than 3,500 children during its Christmas treats held recently. Santa Claus, balloon animals, clowns, rides, food, and entertainment were the order of the day at the Old Harbour Bay Development Centre in Old Harbour Bay and the Wembley Centre in Hayes, Clarendon, where NFE held its annual Christmas treats.

Lorine Cousins, chairman of the Refinery Community Council for the port and refinery communities in Hayes, said, “The children are always very excited to get a present from Santa Claus, and this is something they look forward to ever since NFE started its Christmas treats in 2018. Even during the COVID pandemic they still found a way to get toys to the children and that says a lot about its hearts and commitment to giving back. On behalf of all the children and the families in the communities, I say a big thank you to NFE for all it does.”