Food For The Poor Supporting Soufriere Victims in St Vincent

Kingston –  Food For The Poor (FP) Jamaica is presently supporting

relief efforts to assist victims of the La Soufriere eruption in St Vincent. In partnership

with the Honorary Consulate of St Vincent and the Grenadines, the organization is

conducting a Volcano Relief Drive and appealing to individuals and corporations to give

in support of Caribbean neighbours St. Vincent, who have been suffering from ashfall

and other hazards from the still-erupting volcano.

Powerful explosions ripped from the cone up to last Friday (Apr 16.) sending plumes of

smoke and ash up to altitudes of 8000 feet. The explosions have forced over 16,000

FFTP Exec Director Kivette Silvera

persons from their homes and into shelters, and many other residents have been left

without power or running water.

Food For The Poor Jamaica’s Executive, Kivette Silvera, explained that already, Food

For The Poor Inc has shipped 10 containers of relief in addition to 6 pallets of disaster

kits, with the Honorary Consulate of St. Vincent seeking to send two more containers. We will be collecting items based on the list of needs and combining with the HonoraryConsulate in this venture. As soon as we recognized that there was a disaster taking

place, we responded immediately through our Florida office and because we are in

seventeen countries, we were able to unite and send supplies through some of those

countries. The partnership with the consulate and FFP Jamaica represents the overall

united approach that FFP takes in addressing needs, be it poverty, or in this event, a

natural disaster." she said, adding that FFP will facilitate the collection of donations for

FFTP marketing & Development manager Marsha Burrell- Rose (left) and Honorary Consul of St Vincent, June Barbour

further shipment to partners in St Vincent.    

Among the high priority items are 800 and 1000-gal. water tanks, 5-gallon buckets,

folding cots, respiratory masks with filters, battery packs, bottled water, mattresses,

disposable and plastic food containers and clothing and undergarments.

Local monetary donations may be sent to National Commercial Bank Limited, Acct #

471043885 at the St Jago Shopping Centre Branch, Spanish Town, or NCB Direct

Banking Unit. Online donations can be made via www.foodforthepoorja.org

Donations of items may be dropped off at the Food For The Poor Jamaica HQ at

Ellerslie Pen, Spanish Town; the Diocese of Montego Bay, 1 Fort Street, Montego Bay;

the Diocese of Mandeville, 59 Main Street, Mandeville, or at Sts. Peter & Paul Church,

120 Old Hope Road, Kingston.