UPDATE#2 Our Partnership with JAMPACT!!!

JAMPACT Steps Up Its School Supply Efforts to Jamaica with New Partnership and Stronger Volunteer Relationships

We are well into the school year and students and teachers of Jamaica Impact, Inc. (JAMPACT's) adopted beneficiary schools couldn't be more excited and thankful. Thanks to the efforts and generous donations of JAMPACT's sponsors, partners, members and community support, they are well equipped with supplies for the 2013-2014 school year. On Saturday August 14th a team of JAMPACT members and volunteers gathered at Trans-Continental Express Shippers in Queens, New York for the packing of hundreds of donated school supplies and toys collected during JAMPACT's Annual School Supply and Toy Drive which runs from May to August. This year, JAMPACT partnered with the RKM Foundation based in New Jersey and their collective effort grossed ten (10) barrels and four (4) boxes of donated supplies. The dedicated volunteers included a team from Credit Suisse, a financial institution in New York, who meticulously sorted and packed the supplies while sipping "Grace Coconut Water" and other refreshments donated by Grace Foods. 

Type captiCredit Suisse volunteer Darren Malcolm sorting supplies while JAMPACT's Fundraising Chair, Akelia Lawrence-Maitland inventories supplies.on text here.

Education Committee Chair Tassie Scarlett sorting supplies for packing.

After months of collecting donations from a multitude of donors in the Bronx, Brooklyn, Queens, Long Island, and New Jersey, JAMPACT is pleased to have been able to provide school supplies to over two hundred children in its adopted basic schools in Kingst

Volunteers from Credit Suisse with JAMPACT members Angella Golding and Georgia McCarthy packing supplies.

on, Jamaica; Coles, Crescent Road, St. Steven's, and Maxfield Park Children's Home Basic School. "Parents and children really appreciate the help throughout the years; the quality of productsis excellent" says Principal Vassell-Grant of Crescent Road Basic School. In addition to these schools, JAMPACT also provided assistance to five other schools; Islington Basic School in St. Elizabeth, Bottom Leinster Basic School in St. Mary, Nightingale Grove Primary School in St. Elizabeth, Lucea Primary and Esher Primary Schools benefitting an additional two hundred and fifty plus students. The supplies were distributed during JAMPACT's annual membership service trip September 11to16, 2013 where thirteen students also received scholarship through JAMPACT's Sponsor-A-Child's Tuition Program.

Ms. Scarlett handing out supplies at St. Steven's Basic School, with Principal Ms. Fyffe assisting in the foreground.	Scholarship recipients at Coles Basic School
Education Committee Chair Tassie Scarlett distributing school supplies at Crescent Road Basic School during September 2013 Service Trip.	Pallet of Computers and Printers to be distributed.

According to Education Committee Chair Tassie Scarlett, "JAMPACT continues to extend assistance to schools that are not in our Adopt-A-School Program. In addition to the school supplies they already received, we will also be donating computers and printers to our adopted schools as well as to three (3) schools in the Parish of St. Thomas, and Glad Tidings Early Childhood Development Center in Spanish Town. Last year JAMPACT was able to donate five (5) computers to Ebenezer Primary School for their computer lab where previously they had only one and it was in need of repair. The impact there has been amazing." The school reported that 'The children are excited, and want to go to the lab to learn new and exciting things. The attitude of the students has changed, especially the disruptive boys who get quiet and settled when they are in the computer lab.'

Ms. Scarlett went on to say "The success of our annual School Supplies and Toy Drive initiative would not have been possible without the commitment and continued support of our members and supporters. This year, apart from our partnership with RKM Foundation, we were fortunate and appreciative to have had the support of Joe and Jenny Campbell who collected four barrels of school supplies at their annual family and friends BBQ in New Jersey and donated the supplies to JAMPACT for our drive! We are grateful to our sponsors; shipping partner Trans-Continental Express Shippers who along with a generous shipping discount, also provided storage and safe delivery." Other sponsors of the drive included Sam's Caribbean Marketplace in West Hempstead, New York who hosted the launch of the 2013 drive, as well as contributed other in-kind donations. We salute the work of JAMPACT and all its volunteers and donors, and the education committee members for their diligence and commitment in organizing the drive. The combined efforts have made this year's annual School Supply and Toy Drive another huge success. The generosity and willingness of all our supporters have helped JAMPACT fulfill our mission of ensuring that the children of our beloved homeland, Jamaica, are equipped with the necessary tools they need to learn and succeed during their early childhood years. To learn more about this initiative and other work with JAMPACT adopted basic schools please contact Tassie Scarlett at education@jampact.org.

Flat screen computers donated to Ebenezer Primary School in Manchester. Rosemarie Dawkins, Mathematics teacher at Ebenezer supervises her students in the computer lab. - Photo by Dave Lindo, The Gleaner	Members of JAMPACT at 2013 School Supply Launch at Sam's Caribbean Marketplace. Long Island. Back row center Andrew Morris of Sam's, right, Dale Todd, JAMPACT's president.
Donor at School Supply Launch at Sam's Caribbean Marketplace, West Hempstead, Long Island.	Gloria Messam, JAMPACT's VP, & Andrew Morris (Rt.) of Sam's Caribbean Marketplace chooses raffle winner at launch.