JMMB Joan Duncan Foundation made a donation of $750,000 to Mustard Seed Communities (MSC) recently, aimed at furthering the mission of the organisation to care for and give hope to the most vulnerable, and often forgotten, members of society.

The donation is timely as it will aid in supporting Mustard Seed Communities in providing care for the 59 disabled Haitian orphans who have been rescued from that country due to the political and social upheaval.

“The JMMB Group has had a long-standing relationship with Mustard Seed Communities, including providing financial support towards its Dare to Care programme that caters to orphaned children in Jamaica living with HIV/AIDS,” explained Kim Mair, CEO of the foundation. “We have seen first-hand the impact that their work has had in improving the lives of the most vulnerable in our society locally, across the Caribbean, and beyond. With their dedication and passion to serve others and their intimate knowledge of caring for these individuals, we saw it fit to partner with them in this way to help to give these orphans hope and a semblance of normalcy.”

During the recent, symbolic, cheque handover ceremony held at the Mustard Seed Communities head office in Kingston, executive director of MSC international Father Garvin Augustine thanked the foundation for its generosity of spirit.

“This donation will not only provide [these children] with immediate relief but has also offered hope for a brighter future. By investing in their care you are helping to create a nurturing environment where these children can thrive, despite the adversities they have faced,” he said.

While lauding the foundation and other corporate bodies and individuals for pledging their support towards this worthy cause, he welcomed further donations to offset the ongoing costs associated with the day-to-day care of the orphans who will be housed at the Jacob’s Ladder location in St Ann during their stay in Jamaica. Organisations and individuals can donate by contacting Mustard Seed Communities directly so as to coordinate their efforts.

Darcy Tulloch-Williams, executive director at Mustard Seed Communities – Jamaica, outlined that MSC has always extended brotherly love to those in need and the less fortunate, as evidenced by the over 400 children and disabled adults the organisation caters to across 13 locations.

“The political unrest in Haiti has resulted in all sectors of the society being affected, including the health sector where some facilities have been closed or [are] functioning below capacity. As such, these children with special needs would be severely impacted, even to the point of death in some instances, due to the conditions in their home country. We were therefore moved to provide them with a safe haven and save their lives,” she said.