Early Christmas for children’s home as beauties bring cheer
Published:Saturday | November 6, 2021 | 12:08 AMAsha Wilks/Gleaner Writer
Strathmore Children’s Home in Spanish Town, St Catherine, received an early Christmas gift on Friday – its first donation since the beginning of the year, according to a senior administrator.
The onset of COVID-19 has crippled donations from corporate and other organisations, manager of the home, Marcia Tucker, has said.
“We usually get a lot of visits, but at this time, it [has] broken down ... . We are going through a little rocky time,” said Tucker.
The home currently has 38 children – 22 girls aged three to 13 and 16 boys who are four to 14. However, the facility has had to keep residents as old as 23, as some parents have ceased making visits or wards may be unable to live independently.
Despite the pandemic’s impact on the finances and mental health of the 20 staffers, Tucker said they are doing their best to ensure high standards of service.
“We still have to try our best and serve them [and] make them comfortable,” she said.
Tucker remains hopeful that with Christmas less than two months away, the home will see an increase in donations to allow for the children to “feel a little blessed”.
“It has really brightened us,” Tucker said of the contribution of toiletries, books, and clothes.
Top 10 finalists
The donation was made by Lauren Less and Aaliyah Barnett, who competed in the 2021 staging of the Miss Universe Jamaica Pageant.
Less was the second-runner up and Barnett made her way into the top 10 finalists from over 60 contestants who entered.
Barnett is also the co-founder of Girl Power Ja, a non-profit organisation seeking to empower females through outreach. Less is the founder of the recently established Healing Empowerment And Living (HEAL) Initiative. The campaign is focused on helping women who have been victims of gender-based violence and who live in shelters.
Both women sought to continue their endeavours from the stage and into community involvement, venturing out and giving back to the different homes.
Barnett remains concerned about how youngsters in homes have been coping during the pandemic.
“I could decipher from a very young age that there are two kinds of people in this world — the haves and the have-nots — and as someone who spent most of my life not having, I could understand how it feels to not have a helping hand,” said Barnett.
That experience has fired the flame of volunteerism that drives her actions today, she said.
Less told The Gleaner that as the holiday season approaches, Jamaicans should use the opportunity to give sanitary napkins, hygiene products, and clothes to provide comfort for the residents.