Returning family treats community members ‘left behind’

Sisters Audrey Jackson and Lurline McKenzie emigrated to the United States of America 10 years ago to have a better life.

Now married with children, recollections of the hard times they had while living in Glades district, St Catherine, haven’t left them.

It’s those memories, and the will to make a difference, that have inspired them to launch a foundation to change lives.

The sisters returned to their community on May 14 with their spouses to host a treat, organised though the Elijah Open Hands Foundation.

“We grew up inside the community and it was very rough, as the family had very little to survive on,” Jackson said, remembering the tough times they had endured.

“In 2018, we decided to do something for others left behind, as we know that the struggle continues.”

The COVID-19 pandemic, with its disruptive restrictions to movement, derailed the outreach, but the duo have pressed the reset button as infections retreated, compared to the fourth wave at the top of the year.

Scores of people converged on the grounds of the Church of God in Christ Jesus in Caymanas Bay two weeks ago.

All the items, including books, pens, pencils, and bags, were donated by families and other groups in Connecticut, United States.

The husband-and-wife teams worked tirelessly to present residents with gift packages.

“It’s the first time that I have ever seen anything like this,” Zepherton Jackson, 74, said in a Gleaner interview.

“It is very special to me, as these are people who usually live here in the district. Very good to see that them return and handing out gifts,” Jackson added.

Other beneficiaries praised the intervention as timely, especially for families and communities with high levels of unemployment.

“It is a great to get assistance, as daily things get more expensive. I have a pair of twins, so this donation will ease some of the financial challenges to buy books, and so forth,” Alexis Cunningham, a resident, said.

rasbert.turner@gleanerjm.com