'A Friend in Need' is a friend indeed - Philanthropist continues to pursue her dreams of helping others

Tamara Bailey, Gleaner Wrtiter

Picture a little girl from humble beginnings, so passionate about helping people, that her 'dolly house' was not with the average doll and playing accessories, but feeding, talking to and encouraging real people who were insane, underprivileged and disenfranchised.

That was the reality for Yvonne Townsend, the founder and director of the Friends in Need Charity Organization and Thrift Shop, located at 10 Hargreaves Avenue in Mandeville.

Townsend has always been a passionate, self-motivated woman who strives for excellence. It was this passion and need for growth that led her into the police force. She was an officer for 12 years, first in Montego Bay, and then later in Mandeville.

She remembers with fondness how this started. "I was just 12 years old at Rusea's High School when I was listening to Barry G on JBC one day, when he said, 'Any person who acquired land and a house before 30 must be in drugs or prostitution.' I said no, no, I must prove him wrong."

Townsend, who holds a bachelor's degree in public administration and a master's degree in counselling and psychology, said, "By the time I was 27, I had my two-bedroom house, my car and everything that was of importance, even mi visa," she beamed.

But with everything that she was doing, she still had a void in her life; a void she was soon able to fill with her post in the police force. "As an officer, I had to go to court. When I went to court, there were cases of children who were abandoned and abused and my heart would just go out.

"My daughter was also instrumental in my reason for taking in the children, as she needed the company and has a kind-hearted spirit," said Townsend

With an uncontrollable laugh, Townsend said when she went to court, the judge knew her more as a foster mother and less as an officer; he would even ask, she recalled, "Ms Townsend, you want this one too?" hoping to get another child into a proper facility.

Local Organisation with an International Reach

Soon, the children's home she had established for her only daughter, who needed the company, grew from one child to 35 children. To date, she cares for 65 children from all over - Australia, Germany, England and, of course, locally.

Townsend quickly mentioned, "I even took in 'mad' females; I bathed them, groomed them and fed them."

The Friends in Need Organization has been around since 1993, but was officially opened seven years ago.

"We have so far been to 15 countries, including countries in the Caribbean and Europe, providing counselling, literacy classes and writing skills, all of which we still offer now. To date, Haiti has been my favourite.

"Twice per year, missionaries from Haiti come down and we send food, clothes and proceeds from the thrift shop to the Haitians."

The Friends in Need Organization currently offers their services to 35 HIV patients, 25 homeless persons, as well as fire victims and cancer patients, and a host of other persons who are in dire need.

"We have about 20 volunteers and we focus a lot on witnessing; we give tracts and Bible verses to those that come in, we have a prayer line and a text line," said Townsend.

She further stated, "We always try to help, no matter your situation. If we can't help, we refer to persons who can. If we see a feature on TV and it impacts us, we visit the person, assess the situation and see how best we can help."

Townsend's last words were words of appeal. "We ask that you donate whatever you have, we don't accept monetary contributions, but ask that you give us clothes, shoes, food items, whatever you have."

Photos by Tamara Bailey