Jodian Pantry gives back to alma mater

Gospel singer Jodian Pantry was busy on Monday in her community of Chapelton as she gifted students of the primary school with Amazon tablets to assist them with their schooling.

In an interview with The Gleaner about the outreach, Pantry said it breaks her heart to see the need that her foundation can never fill.

“I know it is just a gap in the hole, but I still have to do my part. It tears me apart to see that I can only assist a fraction of those who are reaching out,” she shared.

Pantry said although face-to-face classes resumed, the students can use the gadgets to complement their learning experience.

“No child is to be left behind. Another 25 will be shipped to us by next week to continue the tablet drive,” she informed.

Yesterday, through her foundation, Pantry also teamed up with the By Any Means Recording artiste, Agent Di Realest, to assist a family in Carty Hill, Clarendon, living in deplorable condition, with food items.

Her new music management, Paul Patmore Production, is also on board with helping one indigent family at a time in the parish.

Pantry shared that the foundation’s primary focus is on a vulnerable family of nine who are in dire need of not just school supplies, but are lacking in every area of their lives.

Since 2020, Pantry has been distributing care packages to assist families. So far, she has given close to 1,000 for the two years combined. For this year, she said the goal is to distribute 1,000 care packages.

“Times are challenging, we are all in this thing together, and so I will be going all out to ensure that we can continue to touch lives,” is the pledge she is making, while giving thanks to Joel Edwards, Gavin and Michael Hanson, who are her No. 1 supporters.

The school’s principal, Christine Monroe Walters, said she appreciated Pantry for reaching out to her alma mater with the gadgets.

“I feel good; it means that seven more of our students will be able to partake in online instructions. I also impressed on the parents to ensure that the children use it for the purpose it was given. The current mode is face to face, but the Google Classroom is still there, and extra lessons can still take place there, and that’s what we intend to do. The teachers will be engaging the children, putting work there for them to do,” Monroe Walters informed.