News January 31 2026 by Olivia Brown/Gleaner Writer

Young men build foundation to support education, communities

Updated January 31 2026 4 min read

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Agape Hope Foundation President Stephen Simpson, and Vice President Paulton McCarthy-Walker.
Agape member Adrienne Parry (left) leads the preparation of food for distribution.
Agape Hope Foundation President Stephen Simpson and team members at a project site in Howells Content, Clarendon, where the group rebuilt sections of a home destroyed by Hurricane Melissa in October 2025.
Khaeim May, outreach director of the Agape Hope Foundation.

At 21, Stephen Simpson and Zakari Messam have turned a shared impulse into something more durable. What began during the COVID-19 pandemic as informal conversations about giving back – initially centred on a modest Easter initiative – has evolved into a structured organisation now active across Jamaican communities. Though that project did not materialise, the experience ignited a determination to do more than simply talk about helping others. Instead, it sparked a commitment to creating sustained and meaningful impact.