Giving back at Christmas is a mainstay activity on our corporate social responsibility (CSR) calendar for the Jamaica Energy Partners (JEP) group. In previous years, our visits to state homes for children and seniors have included activities that allow us to interact closely and create cheerful bonds. This year, COVID-19 protocols and restrictions on gatherings meant we pivoted our plans to spread Christmas cheer.
In Old Harbour Bay, where our flagship power station ‘Doctor Bird’ is located, residents along Terminal Road look forward to our Christmas distribution. Usually, we would deliver care packages with personal and food items and toys from door to door. This year, we adopted an appointment-based system similar to our improved way of executing community dental and health fairs. This practice minimized person-to-person contact and allowed us to prevent gathering. Over 500 residents visited our ‘distribution hub for cheer’ at the Blackwood Gardens Basic School this year. Many persons in this small fishing community have been negatively affected by the economic downturn caused by the pandemic’s restriction on movement, entertainment, and commerce.
In West Kingston, Maxfield Park Children’s Home and Denham Town Golden Age Home can always mark their calendars for our visit. Close to 50 residents at Denham Town Golden Age Home and 100 wards of the state at Maxfield Park Children’s Home received a donation of toiletries and Christmas lunches. As a gesture of thank you, CSR committee team members handed over gift boxes to caregivers at the institution who play an essential role in nurturing and showing love to the residents. At a community-level, we partnered with the Community, Safety & Security arm of the Denham Town Police Station to distribute close to 800 care packages. These care packages contained canned meats, rice, flour, cornmeal and other food items were given to community-based organizations (CBO) for shut-ins and golden agers in Hannah Town, Denham Town, Fletcher’s Land, Tivoli Gardens and Matthew’s Lane.
In East Kingston, Jamaica Private Power Company (JPPC) Christmas treats took place at Reddie’s Place of Safety in Mountain View and Montamil Home for Seniors located off Windward Road. All 14 wards of the state at Reddie’s Place of Safety received personalized gift boxes stuffed with toys, candy, personal care items and stationery. Each child’s gift box also had a greeting card attached featuring a message from an ‘auntie’ or ‘uncle’ at our power plant. On an early visit to Montamil Home For Seniors, we realized the home needed a working washing machine. For Christmas, we ensured their caregivers could continue to keep the residents’ linens and laundry clean by donating a brand-new SpeedQueen washer, detergent, and sanitizing solutions. Freshly prepared Christmas lunches, sorrel drink and fruitcake, were also personally delivered to both institutions.
JEP Group takes pride in sustaining community outreach efforts at Christmastime and bringing cheer to faces and families. We will continue to power communities in 2021 and beyond.
