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JCC Foundation to host 37th annual charity ball

Published:Thursday | November 1, 2018 | 12:00 AM
From left: Chairman Sameer Younis, Leila Younis and their son Jason, at the JCC Sameer Younis Foundation Grand Charity ball '35 Years of Developing Future Leaders' in 2016.

The JCC Sameer Younis Foundation is set to host its 37th anniversary grand charity ball, on Saturday, November 3, at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel under the theme, 'Empowering Greatness...Changing Lives'.

The JCC Sameer Younis Foundation, formerly known as the Civic Affairs Committee, was founded in 1981 and is a community-based foundation which has made a commitment to foster better relationships between the police and citizens and to improve the quality of life in the inner-city communities. Over the years, the Foundation has been actively empowering inner-city youths through the Inner-City Youth Leadership Training Programme, which focuses on community leadership and mentorship.

Developed in 1992, The Youth Leadership Training Programme empowers the youths of inner-city communities to build better relationships among each other and with the police force through productive entrepreneurial activities. With three to four programs being held annually, each training programme comprises 30 - 60 participants which includes police officers and youth. Each program runs for six weeks, three days per week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) between 9 a.m., - noon. On completion of the six week training, an examination is administered, followed by a Graduation Ceremony where a Certificate of Achievement would be awarded to those who have been successful. Those who are unsuccessful are offered a Certificate of Participation and would be monitored and a recommendation would be made for them to enrol into another programme in order to upgrade their educational proficiency.

 

Reaping success

 

Since inception, the programme, with the help of The University of the Commonwealth Caribbean (UCC), has trained over three thousand five hundred persons and has been reaping successes in empowering and changing the lives of many inner-city youth.

According to Jason Younis, director, JCC Sameer Younis Foundation, "The work we do at the JCC Sameer Younis Foundation is critical, transformational and inspirational. To see first hand the changes in participants from start to finish is what keeps me going."

The annual grand charity ball, a prestigious corporate event, organised by the JCC Sameer Younis Foundation has been the flagship fundraising event to provide the significant amount of the resources necessary to engage in and execute interventions among persons, particularly inner-city community residents.

Now in its 37th year, this signature black tie event is being held under the distinguished patronage of Their Excellencies the Most Honourable Sir Patrick L. Allen, ON, GCMG, CD, KSt.J Governor General and the Most Honourable Lady Allen.

"The Grand Charity Ball has been a pivotal initiative in ensuring that the JCC Sameer Younis Foundation interventions will continue. It is our hope that Corporate Jamaica, and the entire country continue to support this event so that our foundation can continue in its commitment to fostering better relationships between the police and citizens, and to improve the quality of life in the inner-city communities," Younis continued.

Those interested in supporting the Foundation and the annual grand charity ball at a contribution of $18,000 are invited to contact the Jamaica Chamber of Commerce for further information.