On Saturday, December 7, children at the Maxfield Park Children’s Home enjoyed a day of festivities and food, topping it off with an awards ceremony.
Feroze Hanif of ThinkNChange hosted the day’s event and presented the children with clothing and shoes that were sourced by the organisation and external sponsors.
The American philanthropist who has fallen in love with Jamaica, has been committed to helping to alleviate the challenges faced by its citizens and has hosted other outreach. He shared that assisting the children is special.
“It was an honour for ThinkNChange to return to the home for the third time to create these cherished moments and support the home’s needs. We are currently working on an ongoing project for the home and are committed to making these initiatives an annual tradition. These events not only provide fun, but also aim to nurture the children’s abilities and help them reach their fullest potential. Our mission is to empower the youth of Jamaica, and through efforts like this, we strive to make a meaningful impact,” he shared with Freedom Come Rain.
Included in his long-term goal, is to carry out maintenance repairs on the building, and he will be looking to international sponsors to get it done.
Manager of the home, Mrs. Renee Tuckett Palmer, shared with the paper that it was a “good feeling” to witness all that was happening, and seeing the smiles on the children’s faces was enough for her.
Commenting on the award ceremony, Mrs. Tuckett said it is always a pleasure when hard work is rewarded.
“Seeing the young lady who’s painting, you know, to see her being celebrated, it’s always a good feeling. And it also sends a message to them saying that they are being seen; they are being recognised. A lot of times in society, our good works are recognised and aren’t seen. And I think it’s always good when we take a moment to appreciate persons for what they can do and for their natural skills and talents, especially. Awesome,” she highlighted.
Operating the home doesn’t come without its challenges and so support is welcomed. According to Mrs. Tuckett, sometimes it’s something as simple as beautification for the property or trying to keep the maintenance, as she noted that sometimes the environment will impact how it is that you feel and how you interact with each other.
Filled with praises for volunteers, she said having them consistently is good.
“I will say thank you a lot to ThinkNChange because you guys are very consistent; you always come through. So, you know, if you guys say you’re coming on the 10th, I can tell the children you’re coming on the 10th and you will show up,” she gushed.
Stressing the importance of being consistent and committed, she hopes they will continue to “pour into” the children, as at the end of the day, although the staff really tries, it is good for the children to see other persons coming who are able to love them in a sincere way, not asking for anything back.
Highlighting some of the areas volunteers can make a difference, she pointed to beautification, various projects, and even assisting the children to hone different skill sets that they’re interested in.
For children who are interested in the culinary area, Mrs. Tuckett said someone who has that skill will come in with a child, and they can do that together. You just watch a child blossom and bloom in that area.
In reflecting on her first interaction with Hanif through ThinkNChange, she said she got introduced through Kerry-Ann Nelson-Peynado, productivity manager at ThinkNChange, and Nellisa Asphall, assistant manager of Maxfield Park. From the get-go, she said the organisation wanted to “pour love into the area.”
“Think and Change has been a very consistent donor. And I appreciate the sincerity in their efforts. I appreciate the love that is shown when the volunteers come. It’s a sincere love, I mean, from all the volunteers, all the children. It really doesn’t matter,” she shared.
Mrs. Tuckett could not stop appreciating the team as she said everywhere she looked, she saw ways in which they showed their love. She noted that they also brought fruits, snacks, and other goodies that the children all enjoyed.