Mustard Seed Children’s Home gets gifted with protective masks

WESTERN BUREAU:

THE RESIDENTS and staff of the Mustard Seed Children’s Home in Adelphi, St James, were fed and provided with protective gear on Sunday, thanks to the generosity of two prominent individuals in the western region and an established eatery.

Some 100 face masks to protect the wards from the COVID-19 virus were handed out by St James Custos Bishop Conrad Pitkin, and Janet Richards, the founder of the Janet Richards Foundation, which has had a long association with the home. Subsequent to the presentation, Burger King provided 48 lunches for the children.

In an interview with The Gleaner, Pitkin said the distribution of the masks were part of his own ongoing campaign to supply 2,000 face masks as a way of defending against the much-feared COVID-19, for which Jamaica has, to date, recorded 581 infections and nine deaths.

“One of my projects is to give out masks, and this is one of the areas of importance in restricting the spread of the COVID-19 virus in Jamaica. So I brought 100 masks here for the Mustard Seed community, and, overall, I’ve given out 1,500 masks to date. My goal is to give 2,000,” said Pitkin.

“The Mustard Seed Home is one of Miss Richards’ projects that she has constantly been working with, and I was very happy when she asked if I would join her this morning. It’s always good when acts of kindness can be extended to institutions like these, which are really in need,” added Pitkin.

The home has received several outreach efforts from Richards over the years, including through her Janet Richards Foundation, which was registered last June. This latest outreach effort follows a similar project she oversaw in April, when she partnered with Food For The Poor and Chinese businessman Yangsen Li to deliver food and toiletries to the Mustard Seed Children’s Home and the Melody Girls’ Home in Irwin, St James.

“I’m asking the community, especially in St James, to remember the children’s homes. These are children without parents, and sometimes they need something a little different,” said Richards. “I know I can’t really have any interaction with the children because I have to respect the facilities’ guidelines, but at least I know that they can get these items.”

Cordell Howell-Huie, the administrator of the Mustard Seed facility, expressed immense gratitude for the kindness shown to the children and staff by the custos, Richards, and Burger King.

“We’re truly grateful for the masks and the lunches provided for our residents. We realise that it’s mandatory to wear masks, but based on our shifts, persons sometimes don’t get to go home and wash their masks for the next day,” said Howell-Huie.