THE Sean Paul Foundation has given the Clarendon-based Free Town Foundation a big boost for its back-to-school charity initiative, with a $75,000 donation.

The funds were presented to Free Town board member Donna Smith by Steve “Urchin” Wilson on August 5 at Headline Entertainment’s offices in St Andrew.

The Free Town Foundation has been a registered charity since 2016; however, it has been unofficially impacting Free Town and surrounding communities in Clarendon since 2000. The foundation hosts two annual events — a back-to-school giveaway in the summer, and a Christmas health fair, with the support of the Clarendon Health Department and Holiday Hope in the yuletide season. The Christmas fair fêtes children, seniors, shut-ins and other struggling families, and distributes up to 250 care packages. The back-to-school initiative gifts school supplies and other educational assistance to youth in the area.

“When we reached out, as a new entity, we were just trying [a thing], but we were half hopeful,” Smith said, in expressing gratitude to the Sean Paul Foundation. “Imagine how delighted and overjoyed we were when we got the call. We are eternally grateful, as it has been a rough time with some of our regular donors facing challenges, and with a shipment of some of the school supplies to clear, we were wondering where the resources would come from… talk about timely!” she gushed.

That donation, plus $50,000 the foundation received from JPS Foundation and Pencils4Kids, has put the Free Town Foundation on its way to clearing the shipment of supplies sent from donors overseas.

“We are not out of the woods yet; we still need help, whether in kind or more donations… still, these donations have ensured that we can relax a bit,” Smith said.

Speaking on behalf of the Sean Paul Foundation, Wilson said that supporting initiatives that empower students and strengthen communities meets their mission.

“Sean Paul Foundation focuses on a few key areas of impact including community welfare and crisis response; music education and youth development; and education and technology access,” he shared. “We are happy that we could respond positively to the request.”

Since its formation, the Free Town Foundation has undertaken development and health programmes under USAID’s FHI 360; implemented gender-based violence programmes under the Spotlight Initiative from UN Women; and hosted a mental health forum funded by the National Health Fund.

The foundation also aims to establish a community food bank to meet the needs of the vulnerable in and around Free Town.