Mustard Seed’s children in MoBay get Christmas treat to remember

WESTERN BUREAU:

The children living with disabilities at the Mustard Seed Children’s Home in Montego Bay, St James, got a treat to remember on Christmas Day when they were feted by philanthropist Winston Dear, the Usain Bolt Foundation, and the Janet Richards Foundation.

Dear, who donated 10 acres of land 15 years ago to the Montego Bay Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church for the construction of the Mustard Seed Children’s Home, was delighted to once again bring festive cheer and joy to the children and their caregivers.

“It’s maybe one of the nicest things I have done for the community because these kids with disabilities had to go to the centre in Kingston, away from their families,” said Dear, in speaking about the establishment of the Mustard Seed Children’s Home, which is located in Orange district, on the outskirts of Montego Bay.

“We have given them a lot of land so they can expand substantially,” said Dear, who acknowledged being heartbroken at times to see the struggles being faced by the disabled children.

Janet Richards, who Janet Richards Foundation has taking sharing and caring to another level in western Jamaica since she retired as a banker several years ago, said it was an absolute joy to be able to forge a partnership with Dear and the Usain Bolt Foundation to bring festive cheer to the Mustard Seed Children’s Home, which helped to enrich the lives of the children and staff.

With the country regularly facing bouts of sweltering heat, Richards said the donations to the home include portable air conditioning units.

“We donated two portable air conditioning units, two fans, along with two boxes of toiletries,” said Janet Richards, who has been integrally involved with the annual Christmas treat since its inception.

Speaking during a brief ceremony to present the items, Richards was particularly pleased that the Usain Bolt Foundation came forward, despite the fact that the Olympic legend has been the victim of a massive financial fraud.

“I want to give thanks first and foremost to Usain Bolt and the Usain Bolt Foundation. You know, with all the things that happened to Usain this past year, I said ‘My God, I wonder if he can manage it’,” said Richards. “When I spoke to Mr Nugent Walker, Usain’s manager, he said ‘Janet, don’t worry man, we are committed to this… .’ And, of course, they made it all possible, everything you see here,” said Richards.

Cordell Howell-Huie, the administrator at the Mustard Seed Children’s Home, expressed much appreciation to the three entities, saying their support was most welcomed.

“Our children are grateful, and you would have seen it on their faces, they enjoyed the treat,” said Howell-Huie. “We are elated, the Janet Richards Foundation and the Usain Bolt Foundation have been doing this for quite some time and, had it not been for them, maybe it wouldn’t be what it is today.”

editorial@gleanerjm.com