CDA, sponsors target 15 care facilities for Labour Day

KINGSTON, (JIS): Fifteen residential care facilities across the island will be the focus of the Child Development Agency’s (CDA) Labour Day project on Monday, May 23.

Both private and government-run homes and places of safety will benefit from the day’s activities.

Public relations and communications manager at the CDA, Rochelle Dixon, told JIS News that the agency is partnering with the Scotia Foundation and EdgeChem to beautify the facilities and plant vegetable gardens.

“The Scotia Foundation and their team of volunteers will assist the CDA with the hands that are needed to do the work, while EdgeChem will not only supply paint but they will also be providing expertise,” she said.

She added that the CDA is looking to partner with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) for the provision of seedlings for the vegetable gardens, which will be used to supplement the feeding programme at some of the homes.  

The facilities that will benefit from the day’s activities are the Granville Place of Safety in Trelawny; Clifton Boys’ Home in Westmoreland; Garland Hall Child Care Facility, St. James; Hope House Child Care Facility in Portland; West Haven Child Care Facility in Hanover; Mount Olivet Boys’ Home in Manchester; St Augustine Place of Safety, Clarendon; Pringle Children’s Home in Carron Hall, St. Mary; Glenhope Nursery in Kingston; and the Homestead Place of Safety, Stony Hill, St Andrew.    

The CDA head office in Kingston will be involved in the beautification of the Homestead Place of Safety. This will include the washing and painting of walls, cleaning of dormitories and the expansion of a vegetable garden.     

Minister of State in the Ministry of Education, Youth and Information, Floyd Green and chief executive officer of the CDA, Rosalee Gage-Grey, are expected to participate.

All of the projects are scheduled to start at 8:00 a.m. on Labour Day, and the CDA is appealing to residents of surrounding communities to volunteer their time and efforts to the day’s activities.

Persons may contact the CDA Public Relations Unit at 967-1614 or visit the agency’s website at www.cda.gov.jm for further information.