FOUR PORTLAND FAMILIES RECEIVE KEYS TO NEW HOMES FROM FOOD FOR THE POOR & SUPREME VENTURES

Thirty families affected by Hurricane Sandy to move into new homes for Christmas
 
Fruitful Vale, Portland – December 21, 2012: Four more families who lost their homes during Hurricane Sandy have received keys to their new houses, built by Food For The Poor and financed by a $3 million donation by Supreme Ventures Ltd. This took place at a happy handing over ceremony in Fruitful Vale, Portland today. One more Portland family is to receive a new home among those financed by Supreme Ventures.
 
Today's ceremony brings the total number of families to receive this much-needed Christmas gift under the programme to 30. It follows yesterday's handing over of six of 10 new homes in Hamilton Mountain, St. Mary, by Food For the Poor and another corporate donor - Diageo/Red Stripe - who contributed $5.7 million. In addition, Food For The Poor has matched these donations to construct an addition 15 houses in St. Mary, Portland and St. Thomas. The communities in St. Thomas, which are benefiting include Johns Town, Pamphret and Dumphries.
 
Food For The Poor and the corporate donors collaborated with the Portland/Eastern Parishes Hurricane Relief Fund, which was established on October 29, and had oversight for the relief initiative.
 
At the Fruitful Vale handing over ceremony today, Jacqueline Johnson, Executive Director, FFP Jamaica, explained that the families would receive not only sturdy new two bedroom houses, but a full range of furniture. This included, for each family, tables, chairs, stoves, beds, mattresses, stoves and solar lamps.
 
Mrs. Johnson noted that her early, first hand view of the devastation caused by Hurricane Sandy had made it clear to her that housing assistance would be critical. She offered sincere thanks to the supporting donors, to the Hurricane Relief Fund for allowing FFP to continue serving the poorest of the poor, and to the contractors and FFP team members who had worked tirelessly to ensure the completion of the homes. She also urged the recipients to take care of the structures, and hoped they would enjoy the gifts they represented.
 
Carlene Edwards, Supreme Ventures Corporate Communications Officer, shared the moving rationale for her company's involvement, saying:
 
"We are thrilled to have partnered with Food For The Poor in donating several houses for persons and families that have been severely affected by Hurricane Sandy in the parishes of Portland, St. Thomas and St. Mary in October.  Our contribution of $3M to Food for the Poor, for the building of these units, will no doubt help to put these recipients' lives back together, especially, as we approach the yuletide season. Upon seeing the devastation that took place after the hurricane, we made a commitment to assist in this effort and today we are humbled to be on location, assisting with the restoration of so many families."
  
About Food For The Poor
Food For The Poor (FFP)-Jamaica is the largest charity organization in the country.  Food For The Poor Inc., located in Florida, USA, was named by The Chronicle of Philanthropy as the largest international relief and development organization in the United States. It is an interdenominational Christian agency that does much more than feed the millions of hungry poor in 17 countries of the Caribbean and Latin America. FFP provides emergency relief assistance, clean water, medicines, educational materials, homes, support for orphans and the aged, skills training and micro-enterprise development assistance, with more than 96% of all donations going directly to programmes that help the poor. For more information visit our Web site at www.foodforthepoorja.com 
Jean