Pollyanna Project Brings Christmas Cheer to Parottee

Students, parents and residents of the Parottee community in St. Elizabeth, received a welcomed boost on Tuesday (December 23), when the New York based charity organization the Pollyanna Project, hosted a Christmas treat at the Parottee Primary School, as part of recovery efforts following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

Principal of Parottee Primary School, Denash Clarke, told JIS News that the event helped to rekindle hope in a community that has been significantly impacted by the storm.

“I am very elated to have the Pollyanna Project here with us. Based on the level of devastation that has taken place in the community, this whole activity… has brought back the Christmas spirit and has brought back hope that things will get better, one step at a time,” Ms. Clarke said.

She emphasised the resilience of the school community, adding that staff and students remain determined to move forward despite the challenges.

“We are resilient persons and we are not going to allow Hurricane Melissa to keep us down. We are going to get back to where we were before,” she stated.

Ms. Clarke informed that the school resumed classes in late November on a phased basis, noting that returning to the classroom was critical for the students emotional and social well-being.

“School must go on for us, because with the kind of devastation in the community, it’s good for them to come back into the school spirit and be able to socialise with their friends,” she said, adding that the institution is preparing to resume full operations in January.

However, she pointed out that the hurricane has left sections of the school vulnerable.

“Our roof has been badly damaged and so we have a lot of leaking going on. We want to ensure that we have a safe and comfortable environment for the students,” Ms. Clarke said, while appealing for additional support.

Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the Pollyanna Project, Donna Moore – Stewart, said the initiative was guided by a desire to uplift the Parottee community during the Christmas season.

“We felt a sense to serve the community that has been devastated by Hurricane Melissa. We know it was Christmas time, and we want to take the light of Christmas into this community that was dark for a period of time,” Mrs. Moore- Stewart said.

She explained that the decision to assist Parottee followed an invitation from a community member, noting that seeing the damage firsthand, reinforced the organisation’s mission.

“Driving here and actually seeing the devastation for ourselves just solidified our intention, and that is to serve those who need,” she said.

Mrs. Moore – Stewart noted that the Pollyanna Project funds its outreach through annual fundraising initiatives and the support of committed donors.

“We have a wide community of believers in what we do, and whenever there is a need, our community responds,” she said, while expressing gratitude to sponsors including the Brooklyn Nets, Structure Craft Construction, You and Us Mechanical, CAB Consulting Agency, and the Elevation Cycling Club.

Meanwhile, President of the organization, Carl Stewart, said the team was prepared to assist up to 300 residents through the initiative.

“We prepared grocery items, clothing items and shoes, and we have enough to serve 300 people. The children most of all came to mind, so we wanted to bring a Christmas tree, have it lit, and have some sort of Christmas party,” Mr. Stewart said.

Founded more than 30 years ago, the Pollyanna Project is a fully registered non-profit organisation in both New York and Jamaica.

The organisation also operates internationally, supporting initiatives in Africa and the Caribbean, while continuing to respond to community needs wherever assistance is required.