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Corporate Hands: Food for the Poor delivers with home for fire victim

Published:Thursday | April 21, 2016 | 12:00 AM
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Contributed
Cherline Hoyes (left) and two of her neighbours show off the keys presented to her recently by Food For The Poor Jamaica for her house, which was built with funds donated by Tank-Weld Metals Limited.
Contributed
Following the official presentation of her house, Cherline Hoyes received a water tank and a two-burner stove from Food For The Poor in partnership with Tank-Weld Metals.
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Thanks to Food For The Poor (FFP) Jamaica and Tank-Weld Metals Limited, Cherline Hoyes, a 55-year-old fire victim and downtown Kingston vendor, is now the owner of her home.

In 2000, her home on West Street in Kingston was burnt and, she ended up in an abusive relationship which lasted 13 years and produced a son.

"My situation was very bad. After I got baptised, things get worse with me and my baby father. The verbal and physical abuse got bad, he used to fight mi off sometimes. I had one child for him, and he had two other children living with us. I used to cry day and night but mi stay ina di situation long, because I had nowhere else to live," Hoyes said.

Hoyes said she sought refuge in a small dwelling with a friend, along with that friend's children and grandchildren.

She prayed for a change to her living conditions and thought of applying for a house from FFP. While she prayed, she saved, and eventually leased land in Waltham Park, Kingston.

On June 28, 2015, her prayers were answered by FFP Jamaica and Tank Weld Metals Limited, who collaborated to construct a house for her with funds donated in support of FFP Jamaica's inaugural Run/Walk.

Chris Bicknell, CEO of Tank-Weld said they organisation chose to donate the funds for this house because, they are always looking for ways to give back to Jamaica and to communities.