Another batch of items meant to benefit the health and educational advancement of students from low-income families in 3 primary schools in the parishes of St Patrick and St Mark in Grenada, was handed over on Thursday, 22 April, a few days after the supplies were brought in from New York City by Whisky Shippers & Movers.
The shipment of 2 barrels, included face masks, bottles of sanitiser fluid, disinfectant wipes, latex gloves, infant formula, computers, monitors, keyboards, reading books, pencils, pens, erasers, glue, and other school supplies.
“On behalf of the staff and students…I want to say a heartfelt thank you… [for] these items; we would put them into excellent use and we thank you very much once more. Also, thanks to the group [MDI]. Thank you,” said principal Gerard Cudjoe of the Samaritan Presbyterian School, as he accepted the donated items on behalf of his school. Similarly, the principals of St Patrick RC School and of the River Sallee Government School, Rodney Julien and Natasha Sutherland, respectively, accepted the items, thanked the donors and pledged to make the best use of the much-needed items. “We will maximise the use and make sure that the students get the benefit of this donation. Thank you again,” said principal Julien of the St Patrick RC School.
The New York City-based collective of philanthropists known as the Making a Difference Initiative (MDI), partnered with Whisky Shippers & Movers to get these items into the hands of students and teachers at the 3 schools identified above, as well as, to the service providers at the Government Medical Station in Victoria, St Mark.
The items, intended to positively impact the education and health of children were delivered by local facilitators Grenadian Catholic priest Fr Leroy Hopkin and community leader Judy Lewis, acting on behalf of the New York-based donors of MDI. The MDI team of donors include occupational therapist Christine Grant; registered nurse and recording artiste Cheryl Vincent; the steelpan-playing calypsonian and elevator operator/fire safety director Burgess McPhie and community organiser and consultant in law and media Gerry Hopkin, who coordinates the activities of the collective.
Whisky Shippers & Movers, Inc., based in Brooklyn, NYC, was responsible for providing shipment of the donated items at no cost to MDI. Whisky Shipping, well-known as a caring professional establishment in the shipping business in the Caribbean-American community in Brooklyn, has been making a difference among Caribbean and Diaspora communities since 1997.
This is the third shipment of donated items from the members of the Making a Difference Initiative (MDI) collective. Concerned and caring Grenadians and friends of Grenada who would like to participate in MDI’s next effort, may call 347-350-4285 to get involved.
Gerry Hopkin
Our children are the ones suffering at present due to the lack of proper education at this time .
We need to address the lack of that basic education from the establishment.
Even before the current covid situation we had a slowdown with teachers claiming they are not having sports due dispute with government.
It’s been over 24 months since these children had a proper education and that will continue for some time and the only people who suffer are the children.