ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica— Twenty-five elderly residents in St Elizabeth were recently paid a visit and given a warm meal from the Springfield Community Development Commission (CDC) along with bags of groceries and personal care items courtesy of Sandals South Coast.

One of the recipients, 94-year-old Jane Poyser, was gracious in her welcome of the small contingent of volunteers who came to her Cheviot Hills-home which she shares with her 76-year-old daughter Phyllis Steven.

Public Relations Manager for Sandals South Coast, Rochelle Forbes-Reid, said that they had to join the Springfield CDC after the Commission stated the COVID-19 pandemic hindered their ability to carry out their usual outreach activities.

“We knew we had to do something when we received a letter from the Springfield CDC stating that they have been unable to carry out their usual outreach for the children, aged, and shut-ins, for the past two years owing to the pandemic,” said Forbes-Reid.

On that note, Forbes-Reid said herself along with a team of able-bodied volunteers from the Luxury-Included® resortventured into the communities of Mount Olivet, Cheviot Hills, Springfield, Four Paths, Jointer, and Broadleaf, all in St Elizabeth.

Shepherding the team was Nurse Nicola Cameron-Nembhard, community health aide at the Springfield Health Centre.

“Sandals South Coast is the first hotel to respond to our call in this manner,” said Cameron-Nembhard.

She noted that while the Springfield CDC had the plan in place to reach out to the elderly residents, they had hit a snag – from coming up with all the needed items, to getting around quickly, to all those in need.

“Sandals South Coast came to our rescue; driving around with us and delivering these care packages and meals. We were delighted just seeing the appreciation and the smiles on the faces of the elderly,” she said.

However, while this venture was a success in connecting with those most in need, President of the Springfield CDC, Vern Stewart, said there is a more significant challenge for Springfield and many rural communities across the island.

Stewart said that the Springfield community is filled with an aging population as more young people either migrate to other parishes, or overseas in search of jobs and a better way of life.

“This has left the older ones to provide for themselves and of course, those who are without the support of either their neighbours or church groups to visit and provide a meal for them, will have it extremely difficult,” Stewart said.

Realising this a few years ago, Stewart saw the urgent need for his group to reach out to these residents. This heralded the beginning of an initiative that would see care packages being distributed to the elderly.