2017 AFJ Grant Ceremony – Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
AFJ DEMONSTRATES COMMITMENT TO JAMAICA WITH U$470K (JA$60 MILLION) IN GRANTS
NEW YORK, NY March 23, 2017 – The Board of Directors of the American Friends of Jamaica, Inc. (AFJ) will travel to Jamaica to preside over the annual official Grant Ceremony and a series of outreach work in Kingston on April 2nd to April 4th.
Discretionary grants and donor-direct grant awards of over U$311,677 (JA$40 million) will be
presented during the annual official Grant Ceremony at the U.S. Embassy Kingston on Monday, April 3, 2017. During the course of the year, over U$159K (JA$20 million) in donor-direct grants were disbursed by the AFJ. Grants will be presented during the official ceremony to Alpha Institute, Bull Savannah Primary School, Child Resilency Program(MBay), Cornwall Regional Hospital, Denham Town Community Development, Dudley Grant Memorial Trust, Fight For Peace, Give Me Dignity, Good Shepherd, Gore Family Foundation, Hanover Charities, Heart Ease, Holy Trinity Cathedral, Jamaica Environmental Trust, JASY, Lloyd Development Committee, MultiCare Foundation, Pocket Rocket Foundation, Project Sprout, Rose Town Library, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Scientific Research Council, SOS Children’s Village, St. Andrew Settlement, St. Ann’s Bay Hospital Male Surgical Ward, Trees That Feed, UWI Bursaries and four UWI Bursaries, i.e., scholarships from the Ambassador Sue M. Cobb, Ambassador J. Gary Cooper, Ambassador Glen and Gloria Holden, Ralph & Ricky Lauren Family Foundation. AFJ President, Wendy Hart and fellow Board of Directors will host the proceedings with greetings from Mr. Eric Khant, Chargé d’ Affaires ad interim on behalf of United States Ambassador to Jamaica, Luis G. Moreno.
Event Details
Date: Monday, April 3, 2017
Doors Open: 5:00 p.m.
Event runs from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Venue: U.S. Embassy Kingston, 142 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6 RSVP: Invitation Only – Monday, March 27th by 5:00 p.m.
Fifty-Five (55) discretionary grant applications were vetted and evaluated by the AFJ Grant Committee to ensure applicants meet the organization’s criteria. The AFJ is able to award grants from proceeds raised from annual fundraisers in New York and Miami, private foundations, corporate partnerships and donor direct contributions.
While on the island, the AFJ Directors will visit and tour the upgrade project funded by the AFJ at St. Ann’s Bay Hospital Male Surgical Ward that is near completion.
Founded in 1982, the American Friends of Jamaica is a charitable 501(c)(3) organization built on the principles of service and philanthropy. The AFJ works with a broad coalition of Jamaican organizations and stakeholders to bring about change in the lives of Jamaicans in need. Since its founding 35 years ago, the AFJ has distributed millions in health care and education grants, disaster relief aid and scholarships. The Grant Application Cycle begins in November each year; awards are presented in April of the following year.
Contact:
Caron S. Chung, Executive Director • The American Friends of Jamaica, Inc.•1697 Broadway, Suite 502, New York, NY 10019 •T 212-265-2550 • E info@theafj.org or press@theafj.org
