WRHA Reaches out to Montego Bay Community Home for Girls
By: , January 9, 2023
Photo: Okoye Henry
Operations Manager at Montego Bay Community Home for Girls in Irwin, St. James, Yvette Mahoney (third left), accepts donations from Resource Mobilisation Officer of the Western Regional Health Authority, Elicia Whittingham-Gayle, during an outreach initiative, recently. They are joined by representatives of the WRHA’s Outreach Committee.
Photo: Okoye Henry
Operations Manager at Montego Bay Community Home for Girls in Irwin, St. James, Yvette Mahoney (left), accepts a washing machine from Payroll Officer of Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA), Shanique Bailey (right), during an outreach initiative, recently. Sharing the moment (from left) are WRHA’s Staff Welfare Officer, Moesha Barrett; Compensation and Benefits Officer at WRHA, Sheena Gordon; Senior Payroll Officer of WRHA, Terriqua Cunningham; and Resource Mobilisation Officer of the WRHA, Elicia Whittingham-Gayle.The Full Story
The humanitarian arm of the Western Regional Health Authority (WRHA) extended its annual Christmas outreach initiative to the Montego Bay Community Home for Girls in Irwin, St. James, recently.
Members of the WRHA’s outreach committee paid a visit to the home, popularly known as Melody House, where they donated several key items to staff and 10 girls of the private, nonprofit institution.
Among the items were a washing machine, toiletries, food items, slippers, clothes, sheets and blankets. The girls’ home was also in receipt of a microwave and ceiling fans donated by the National Commercial Bank.
Resource Mobilisation Officer at the WRHA, Elicia Whittingham-Gayle, told JIS News that individuals and institutions partnered with the entity in procuring the much-needed items and equipment.
“We (WRHA) did a tag drive throughout the region (St. James, Hanover, Trelawny and Westmoreland). Tickets were sold for $100, but the good part about it was when staff heard about the need [theyngave] $100, $500 and $1,000. They gave what they could towards the cause and so we were able to pool all the resources,” Mrs. Whittingham-Gayle explained.
“Also, we got external persons who assisted. There was a restaurant that contributed funds. We also had a doctor, Barita’s Cornerstone and a call centre all dropped off items at our office,” she added.
Compensation and Benefits Officer at WRHA, Sheena Gordon, said it was critical to give back to the home, which is one of many that have benefited from the outreach programme that began in 2018 with the Robins Nest Children’s Home in St. James.
“The day was wonderful. We got support that we needed, and I think we executed what we were about at Melody House,” she said.
Operations Manager at the Montego Bay Community Home for Girls, Yvette Mahoney, lauded the WRHA team and their partners for the donation, particularly the washing machine.
“We were concerned that we were asking for a big-ticket item like a washing machine. However, we trusted that something would work out and when Mrs. Whittingham-Gayle called to let us know we are getting the machine, I was more than elated,” she said.