Spanish Town Care Centre, The place with a heart
Published:Saturday | February 19, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Karen Sudu, Gleaner Writer
SPANISH TOWN, St Catherine:
WITH NO special place of abode, Kevin, in his late 30s, spends most of his time roaming the streets of Spanish Town. While he appears mentally ill, whenever he gets odd jobs, he is able to provide for himself.
On the other hand, the rigours of life are almost unbearable for 79-year-old Ivy Campbell of Gregory Park, St Catherine. Her fortnightly pension of just over $3,000 has never been enough to cover the cost of her basic needs, especially food and medication, for her two mentally ill adult sons.
Unlike Kevin and Campbell, 47-year-old Angella Foster of the Old Capital has displayed her musical skills on several talent shows, including the 2010 Magnum Kings and Queens of Dancehall. Yet, she has not been able to attract any monetary satisfaction.
Find comfort
Though their needs are different, the three find comfort at the Spanish Town Care Centre, situated on the grounds of the Spanish Town Infirmary on Monk Street. The facility, used to assist the Poor Relief Department with providing meals, temporary care, and counselling for the homeless, elderly and indigent, was officially opened in July 2009.
"Mi nuh get the right help fi bus mi yet cause me can sing and DJ," Foster said. "Me nuh really have a job now. Sometime me do little domestic work, but if it wasn't fi this centre, me nuh know how me and me three kids would a manage," she explained to The Gleaner as she took a break from entertaining her friends at a recent dinner at the $3-million facility constructed by Food For The Poor.
She grimaced as she continued, "Sometime mi give mi son $50 fi go school. Him really suppose to get $200 cause is a high school him go. Mi come here and eat and collect a food fi him and me other two children. Miss Roofe give me clothes. A jus so it go," a dejected Foster added.
In fact, Vera Roofe, retired inspector of the poor and coordinator of the centre funded in part by Habitat for Humanity and Red Stripe, told The Gleaner that the centre had become a safe haven for a number of the parish's most vulnerable.
"They come, those who need a bath, they get a bath, they'll get a meal, they watch TV, they socialise. The only day that we don't function here fully is on a Sunday," explained Roofe.
Developmental activities
On average, the centre caters to 25 persons daily, some of whom engage in developmental activities.
"There are days when we come in and we do little craftwork, and the aim is to get some of these persons to pass on these skills to the younger ones in the community," she said. Some of these people are tradesmen and dressmakers, therefore we welcome if they can extend themselves to the young ... ."
It is against this background that Roofe said any assistance to boost the programme would be welcome.
"Food kind is necessary because we give them packages, too, clothing, too. Cash is also necessary because if we have the money, we can do expansion as well as facilitate more activities," said Roofe.
Food For The Poor provides monthly supplies of food items, while other organisations such as the Hampton Green Gospel Chapel make regular contributions. Claudette Mignott heads a team from the church which feeds the less fortunate every Friday.
"It's really a passion for us. We serve shut-ins as well. At the centre, we have praise and worship with them, then we feed them," Mignott told The Gleaner.
Persons wishing to contribute to the Spanish Town Care Centre can do so through the St Catherine Parish Council, which has overall responsibility for managing the facility.