AFJ continues to make impact through donations

The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) continues to make an impactful mark in supporting initiatives that are working to improve the lives of Jamaicans. In their most recent and noteworthy movement, the AFJ received a high volume in-kind donation of hospital equipment and supplies valued at over US$600k. The donation consists of anaesthesia warmers, laryngoscope, catheters, syringes, blood pressure cuffs, wound closure strips, partition curtains, face shields and other surgical supplies. The items are currently at the Ministry of Health & Wellness’ warehouse, with distribution set to make their way to the University Hospital of the West Indies, Kingston Public Hospital, Chapelton Hospital and May Pen Hospital.

AFJ Lignum Vitae Honouree, Janice Hart of Yale New Haven Hospital was revealed as the generous donor. She shared, “I took great pleasure, compassion and honour to have assorted and packed every box and labelled them myself. I love a great challenge, and this will be indelibly etched in the gyrus of my memory for life. To the medical staff in Jamaica, I sincerely thank you for all the work that you do daily with the supplies and equipment you have. We are truly ‘Out of many One People’.”

Additionally, delivery of this shipment would not have been possible without the support of the Ministry of Health & Wellness (MOHW) and AFJ shipping partner, Dennis Shipping.

Another commendable achievement of the AFJ is the success of their 2023 Humming Bird Gala hosted in New York, where they raised nearly US$1m (approximately J$140million). The event, which was held last month, celebrated International Humanitarian awardees Danny Wegman and Paula Kerr-Jarrett Wegman; Blue Mountain awardee, Sherrese Clarke Soares; and Lignum Vitae awardee Janice Hart. The Pledge Drive raised funds for the AFJ Grant Fund which supports healthcare, education and economic development, as well as the Diabetic Retinopathy Programme in western Jamaica.

Executive director of the AFJ, Caron Chung said, “The AFJ is now at an exciting and transformative moment, where the future of the AFJ is taking shape, day by day. As we launch this year’s grant cycle, we celebrate the achievements of our beneficiaries and scholarship recipients that have defined the success of this organisation throughout our four decades.”