Over 400 Children Benefit from Back-To-School Initiative In Heartease, St. Thomas

More than 400 children from Heartease and surrounding communities in St. Thomas are better prepared for the upcoming 2026/27 academic year following the Heartease United Youth Club Benevolent Society’s Annual Back-to-School Fun Day and Children’s Treat.

The event, now in its 15th year, was held at the Heartease Community Centre on August 22.

It provided children with basic back-to-school supplies, while also offering a day of entertainment and activities, including football, athletics, singing, hula hoop and bulla-eating contests.

Director and Main Coordinator of the initiative, Moxon Walker, said the event forms part of the organisation’s ongoing commitment to supporting children and families within the community.

“It’s our outreach activity where we try to give back to the Heartease community and its environs… where we pretty much cater to the needs of the kids, where we equip them with basic back-to-school supplies, ensuring that they are well fitted going back to school [in] September,” he explained.

However, Mr. Walker noted that the initiative extends beyond the distribution of school supplies and the provision of entertainment, as it seeks to boost children’s confidence and self-esteem while fostering a greater sense of community.

“I’ve always lived by the saying: ‘what you do for yourself dies with you, but what you do for others is immortal’. So, I think it’s imperative that, for the most vulnerable [in] society… the youngsters… you give them this platform to boost their confidence… give them a sense of appreciation prior to the start of the school year,” he said.

Mr. Walker also highlighted the wider benefits of community-based initiatives in helping to foster a sense of belonging among young people.

“Heartease is one of the safest communities, not [just] in St. Thomas but in Jamaica. That’s [because of] initiatives like these, where you give the youngsters a sense of identity, a sense of belonging, [and] they feel love… [and that] keeps them away from a life of crime or negativity. We’re not perfect. But the little that you do, if you can impact a single life, you would have achieved your objective,” he maintained.

Meanwhile, Mr. Walker noted that this year’s staging of the event was made possible through the combined efforts and support of several stakeholders.

He highlighted a $250,000 contribution from title sponsor, Regions Financial Services, whose Managing Director, André Thompson, hails from the Heartease community. The company has supported the event for three consecutive years.

Mr. Walker also commended the support of community members, local donors and businesses, noting that their contributions were instrumental in the successful staging of the event.

“The youngsters were very grateful, and you [could] see by the smiles on their faces. So, we appreciate every single contributor, from the smallest to the largest,” he stated

Mr. Walker expressed the hope that the children left the event with a greater appreciation of the community’s investment in their future.

“Just to know that we care and we are in it for them to maximise their fullest potential so that they can be productive citizens of this country,” he remarked.