IT was a gathering with a purpose, as Hummingbird Charities Limited hosted its annual ‘Fête For A Cause’ fund-raising brunch on Sunday, leveraging the celebratory atmosphere to make a major $20-million appeal for donors to step up to expand life-changing initiatives for thousands of vulnerable citizens across the island.

The high-profile event served as the official launch of the charity’s 2026 fund-raising campaign, with the target directly funding the expansion of its three core initiatives — Sole2Sole, Hummingbird Feeds, and the Bossman Initiative.

The organisers emphasised that the brunch was designed to catalyse the long-term corporate partnerships required to meet their ambitious milestones. One of those includes providing free health screenings to over 1,000 underserved Jamaican men this year via their mobile health clinic.

“Today’s brunch reaffirmed our commitment to the communities we serve,” said Hummingbird Charities Company Secretary Shevel Turton.

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has joined our initiatives, and we now invite even more partners and sponsors to join us on this journey as we work toward our $20-million goal,” added Turton.

From left: National Health Fund Chief Executive Officer Everton Anderson; Hummingbird Charities Company Secretary Shevel Turton; Hummingbird Charities patron, Dr Christopher Tufton; and Jamaica Cancer Society Executive Director Roshane Reid-Koosman, are all smiles after the signing of the charities memorandum of understanding marking a new beginning for 2026.

The gathering also provided the backdrop for a newly signed memorandum of understanding (MOU) involving Hummingbird Charities, the Jamaica Cancer Society (JCS), and the National Health Fund (NHF) — a partnership endorsed by patron Dr Christopher Tufton.

The strategic alliance will allow the Bossman Initiative mobile clinic to expand its reach by adding free medical check-ups and cancer screenings to its current mobile offerings.

The Bossman Initiative compliments the Ministry of Health and Wellness’s ‘Know Your Numbers’ campaign, which encourages Jamaicans to monitor key health indicators such as blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol.

“We are proud to stand alongside Hummingbird Charities on these initiatives,” said Jamaica Cancer Society Executive Director Roshane Reid-Koomson.

“Opportunities like this remind us how much more can be achieved when organisations and communities come together,” added Reid-Koomson.

Last year Hummingbird Charities delivered more than 11,000 direct interventions across Jamaica, reaching more than 5,000 children.

Nearly 1,000 elderly and infirm people and hundreds of vulnerable men were helped through its mobile health screenings, while it also responding to communities affected by Hurricane Melissa which made landfall in Jamaica on October 28.

The organisation’s work spanned eight parishes, supported by roughly 800 volunteer hours and partnerships with both public and private sector stakeholders.

Hummingbird Charities Limited is a Jamaican charitable organisation dedicated to community welfare through a multi-programme portfolio addressing food insecurity, child welfare, education access, senior care, public health access, and emergency response.

People interested in contributing to the Hummingbird Charities $20-m goal, or any of its initiatives, can reach out via hummingbirdcharitiesjm.com.

From left: Kim Spence, Stephanie Danahogue, and Shanae Thomas pose in the shade by the pool while catching up at Hummingbird Charities Limited annual ‘Fete For A Cause’ fund-raising brunch on Sunday.