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Glenhope Gets $650,000 towards Rebuilding Efforts

March 1, 2012

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The National Leadership Prayer Breakfast (NLPB) Committee and the Victoria Mutual Building Society (VMBS) have donated $650,000 to the Glenhope Place of Safety towards the institution’s rebuilding effort.

The donation was in keeping with a commitment from the committee, at the staging of its 32nd annual prayer breakfast on January 19 that all the proceeds from the event would go towards assisting that state-run home for girls, which was grazed by fire last year. Of the total amount, $500,000 was raised from the breakfast, while VMBS provided $150,000.

At the cheque presentation ceremony held at the VMBS’ Half-Way-Tree Road offices on Tuesday (February 28), NLPB Chairman, Rev. Dr. Peter Garth, said that although some $50 million is needed to rebuild the home, the organisation is glad to assist the effort. 

“Little is much when God is in it, and we are doing our part to help initiate the rebuilding process, with the wish that the Glenhope Place of Safety will have a surplus flowing to this project from Jamaicans, and that the surplus will be abundant,” he said.

The NLPB Chairman pointed out that as part of the observance of Jamaica’s Golden Jubilee, the NLPB will, at a later date, be mobilising religious leaders, corporate and civic Jamaica to participate in a major workday at the home. He informed that already, the police, military, VMBS and LIME have indicated that they will be part of the “sweat equity” on that day.

President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), VMBS,  Richard K. Powell,  expressed satisfaction on behalf of his company to be able to play a role in financing the project.  He said his institution, which is a supporter of the NLPB, “appreciates the work being done by the NLPB over the years, and fully supports the commitment to making a difference in the lives of needy institutions and individuals”.

Chief Executive Officer of the Child Development Agency (CDA) Carla Francis- Edie, in expressing gratitude for the donation, noted that the funds will help to provide residents with a more spacious and familial setting that will better cater to their needs.

“We’re going to reconfigure Glenhope. Initially, the girls were living in a communal setting, now you’ll  have no more than five girls living in each room or dorm with their own bathroom, so we’re making it more into a family-type setting rather than a communal setting,” she explained.

The fire that occurred in November 2011, destroyeddormitories and a classroom block. Since the incident, the girls have been placed at 10 residential child care facilities across the island.

 

By Gillian Chambers

Last Updated: July 31, 2013

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