Westmoreland-born Kay Morris has been residing in Toronto, Canada, for more than 40 years. The daughter of a pastor, she understood the importance of giving back to the less fortunate.

More than 20 years ago she started the Kay Morris Foundation, which has been instrumental in transforming the lives of many.

“My music preceded me in Africa, and in 2003 I received a call from a promoter in Ghana informing me that my music was transforming lives and they wanted me to come and headline a concert at the National Theatre in Accra to raise funds for people living with HIV/AIDS and the children who were orphaned by the disease. I saw that there was a great need to save lives and give a voice to the voiceless. At the time the AIDS epidemic was killing millions of people in sub-Saharan Africa, and I wanted to be a part of the solution to the crisis,” Morris told the Jamaica Observer on Friday.

The singer explained that after a year of dialogue and planning the Kay Morris Foundation got off the ground with its first missions to Ghana and Nigeria in 2004.

Said Morris: “The foundation donated medicine and medical supplies to the Ghana AIDS Commission and the Fevers Unit at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. We also visited the UNHCR Buduburam Refugee Camp and donated medical supplies, toiletries, and educational materials to some 42,000 Liberian refugees. In Lagos, Nigeria we participated in the Bridge Boys Interlink project and catered to the homeless boys living in the old railway cars at the Apapa Railway compound, by giving them hot meals and toiletries.”

This activity spurred the interest of the budding philanthropist to do more as was instilled in her by her parents during her formative years.

“I must say that, as a child growing up in Jamaica, the foundation was laid by my late mother Rev Dr Dorine Chambers. As an evangelist, she would bring home children who had no place to live and cared for them and they became a part of our family. It became a natural part of me to share my clothes, shoes, meals, etc, to the children in the neighbourhood who were less fortunate. I am naturally a compassionate person. My music really opened the door and gave me the opportunity to travel to Africa and serve the people on a much larger scale,” said Morris.

The Kay Morris Foundation has also done initiatives that have benefited people in Canada and Jamaica.

“In Canada, we received $40,000 funding from the Government of Canada and Second Harvest and spearheaded the Meals In Motion Food Insecurity programme, where we have donated hot meals to refugees, homeless people, and at-risk youth in shelters.

“As a Jamaican, I also care a lot about the well-being of my people back home and in 2018 we launched the Beds for Jamaica project, where[by] we send medical equipment such as hospital beds, wheelchairs, and medical supplies to beneficiaries such as: KPH [Kingston Public Hospital], Spanish Town Hospital, Lionel Town Hospital, Savannah-la-Mar Hospital, and Black River Hospital,” Morris shared.

The musician told the Observer that she gave her heart to Jesus at the age of 11 and got baptised at age 12. She, however, has been doing music professionally for about 30 years.

“I had my share of adversities which have helped to shape my life and destiny and make me who I am today… My professional music journey started in 1994; I had a dream where I was singing two reggae songs. I woke up that morning and recorded the songs. I started praying and asking God for His direction about this dream because I knew this was not going to go over well with pastors in my church,” she said.

Morris said the Lord told her to take the music and change the message to use it as a vehicle to win souls for His Kingdom.

“With this mandate from God, I started the group Kay Morris & The Jewels… At first many pastors thought I was backsliding to take this type of music in the church, but I followed God’s instructions; I kept writing songs and started winning multiple awards in both secular and gospel arenas,” Morris shared.

To date, Morris has released three EPs — Pray a Prayer (2000), When You Cry (2007), and The Lord is My Shepherd (2023).

Her full-length projects include the albums Live Again, Armageddon, Unite, Unconditional Love, and Hallelujah Train.

Last September, Morris released her most recent single, Life’s Highway.

The song is produced by Jermaine Stern, a former band member of her group.

“I was inspired to write the song based on my own life journey and as an encouragement to people who are stuck on the highway of life. It is a reminder that on life’s highway there are many signs along the way that can cause us to miss our way; at times we take the wrong exit, have a flat tire, break down on the road, and need to be towed to a place of safety… [A]nd so, we do not park where life happens, with Jesus as the Navigator of our destiny… God’s GPS never fails. He is always on point… Put God first and He will see you through,” Morris reasoned.