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Scotiabank donates Nutrition for Learning funds to St James schools

Published:Monday | October 29, 2018 | 12:00 AMChristopher Thomas/Gleaner Writer
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Fiona Jackson-Jolly (right), service and support representative and Anthony Frazer (left), personal banking officer trainee from Scotiabank’s Sam Sharpe Square branch, with staff and students of Irwin Primary School in Montego Bay, St James. Scotiabank donated $1,140,402 to the school's breakfast programme yesterday as part of its Nutrition for Learning programme. Also pictured (back row, from second left): Kingsley Bailey, principal of Irwin Primary; Kayla-lee Malcolm, teacher; Alicia Green, acting vice-principal; and Pheona Thompson-Brown, teacher.
Paolo Fakhourie (right), branch manager of Scotiabank Jamaica's Fairview Financial Centre in Montego Bay, presents a donation of $47,703 to Jasmin Manderson, supervisor of the Blessed Assurance Mustard Seed Communities' Children's Home in Adelphi, St James, as part of Scotiabank's Nutrition for Learning Programme yesterday.
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WESTERN BUREAU:

Scotiabank Jamaica yesterday made a donation of J$1.4 million to three schools in St James as part of its Nutrition for Learning programme. Thirty-four schools island-wide will receive a combined amount of $20 million to assist their school feeding programmes.

Personnel from Scotiabank's Sam Sharpe Square and Fairview branch offices were out from as early as 8:30 a.m. presenting cheques to Irwin Primary School in Montego Bay, Dumfries Primary School in Dumfries, and the Blessed Assurance Mustard Seed Communities' children's home in Adelphi.

"We're here to continue our philanthropic activities with the breakfast programme, as we're an organisation that believes in the welfare of our students," said Fiona Jackson-Jolly, service and support representative from Scotiabank's Sam Sharpe Square branch.

"A good breakfast programme will help in the mental and physical development of our children, and it will also help to support them otherwise."

The money that was donated was broken down as follows: Irwin Primary School - $1,140,402; Dumfries Primary School - $260,876.18; and the Mustard Seed children's home - $47,703.

A BIG PLUS TO US

Kingsley Bradley, the principal at Irwin Primary School, said that Scotiabank's contribution was well-needed, as the school's breakfast programme had been struggling to stay afloat for quite a while.

"We've been struggling for a very long time with our breakfast programme, because we have approximately 100 students who we cater for during the mornings, and some of them we have to give lunch as well," said Bradley. "This programme that Scotiabank has implemented in our school, it's a big plus to us."

The three institutions that benefited from yesterday's donations are among 13 schools that got $8 million of Scotiabank's planned $20-million gift, which has been ongoing since April. Another 21 schools will receive the remaining $12 million before the end of the current school term.

The Nutrition for Learning programme includes the creation of vegetable gardens and training of 55 canteen staff to improve the schools' breakfast programmes. More than 14,000 children are expected to benefit from the initiative.