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FFP spreading holiday cheer throughout fishing villages

Published:Saturday | December 19, 2020 | 12:13 AM
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Giving back for Christmas: Kivette Silvera (left), executive director, Food For The Poor, and Leroy Ricketts (right), fishing captain, Pagee Fishing Village, St Mary, pause for a photo with a community member who benefited from the distribution drive on We
Contributed
Giving back for Christmas: Kivette Silvera (left), executive director, Food For The Poor, and Leroy Ricketts (right), fishing captain, Pagee Fishing Village, St Mary, pause for a photo with a community member who benefited from the distribution drive on Wednesday, December 9 in the fishing village.
Spreading Yeltitude cheer: A senior citizen of Manchioneal in Portland was pleased to receive her Christmas care packages from Food For The Poor and the team from the Manchioneal Fishing Village in Portland.
Contributed
Spreading Yeltitude cheer: A senior citizen of Manchioneal in Portland was pleased to receive her Christmas care packages from Food For The Poor and the team from the Manchioneal Fishing Village in Portland.
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Food For The Poor Jamaica (FFP), as part of its Basket of Care Programme, has embarked on an effort to spread holiday cheer alongside captains from the 14 fishing villages on the FFP Fishing Programme. Throughout the fishing villages, FFP provided almost 300 food and hygiene care packages; along with cooked meals prepared by the captains to those in need for the holiday season.

The distribution kicked off in early December, targeting individuals from Parottee and Galleon fishing communities in St Elizabeth; Scott’s Cove, Westmoreland and Manchioneal, Portland, and is expected to touch the lives of families in all other fishing communities where FFP operates.

“Annually, FFP fishermen support the Emmett Park Christmas treat for the Elderly, donating over 1,500 pounds of quality fish through the programme. COVID-19 forced its cancellation. As such, our captains spread some love and cheer within their communities by providing fish meals for those in need, especially the elderly and shut-ins and spend some time with them to help lift their spirits. The FFP Fishing team then decided to bolster these treats by providing care packages as well,” said Sherron Barker, Food For the Poor’s fishing manager.

Those who were visited by the fishermen and the Food For The Poor team were elated by the visit, and were thankful for the packages they received.

HAPPY FOR THE VISIT

“I feel so happy to see all you people from Food For The Poor and the fishing village. Sometimes it is very hard for me due to my condition. In fact, I really don’t leave the house, so I rarely see anyone. It’s mostly me and my grandson. Even if I don’t see anyone for Christmas and even if I don’t get any gifts, the visit today is my Christmas gift. Thank you so much! God is good all the time,” said 54-year-old Claudia Green of Pagee Fishing Community, who is now wheelchair-bound after her right leg was amputated over a year ago, due to complications from diabetes.

Food For The Poor has had a longstanding relationship with these villages through their Fishing Programme that seeks to aid fisherfolk. Launched over 10 years ago, fisherfolk were provided with boats and engines, fishing equipment and gear-sheds constructed in 17 fishing villages. FFP continues to monitor and evaluate 14 of these fishing villages, and provides training sessions on sustainable fishing practices, safety at sea, business and fisheries management in order to empower them and make their livelihood profitable.