Wed | Dec 6, 2023

GroceryList Jamaica allows direct donation to Bellevue Hospital

Published:Saturday | January 28, 2023 | 12:29 AM

Ft Lauderdale, Florida:

GroceryList Jamaica Limited, a subsidiary of the Florida-based GroceryList Jamaica, has partnered with Bellevue Hospital in Kingston, to provide an easier and more transparent option for people looking to donate to the 150-year-old psychiatric hospital.

Those wishing to donate to the Bellevue Hospital, especially from overseas, may now do so directly using GroceryList Jamaica’s online platform. The hospital will receive the funds immediately.

The partnership was announced recently by chief executive officer (CEO) of Bellevue Hospital, Suzette Buchanan, and CEO of GroceryList Jamaica Limited, Rory Richards.

Under this arrangement, individuals and charitable organisations overseas may visit GroceryList Jamaica’s online platform and purchase groceries, gift cards or send money directly via GroceryList Jamaica’s 501c3 charity organisation; GroceryListCares. In addition, care packages for the Bellevue community will be available on the platform for ease of purchase by donors.

Richards said people may buy groceries directly for the hospital on www.GroceryListJamaica.com and have it delivered in less than an hour. They may also purchase gift cards which the hospital can use for future purchases on www.GroceryListJamaica.com. Donors may send money directly to Bellevue via www.GroceryListCares.org to which the hospital will have direct access and full control.

He said even though the hospital will have full control and access to all funds raised, GroceryList Jamaica can generate real-time financial reports on the use of funds for donors.

“This will allow for accountability and transparency, and boost donors’ confidence knowing that their donations are going directly to the hospital and being used for the purpose intended,” he said.

UNIQUE NEEDS

Buchanan welcomed the partnership noting that this would eliminate the need for donors using third-party arrangements to make donations to the hospital, as on many occasions some of these donations are either delayed, misplaced or repurposed.

She said, “The feeling of being cared for and thought about is crucial to our clients’ recovery as behavioural health is a lonely road and many have not seen a single family member in decades.

“The smile on their faces when they receive a gift is priceless and they somehow never forget a caring hand that was extended to them. As Bellevue Hospital seeks to establish partnerships both locally and internationally, this initiative will ensure that persons throughout the diaspora have the ability to send resources directly to Bellevue Hospital Jamaica. This partnership reaffirms the commitment to public/private partnerships that will improve access and strengthen the relationship between those presently in Jamaica and the diaspora at large, and will further enable us to meet the unique needs of this community in a high-quality, cost-effective way.”