The American Friends of Jamaica, Inc. (AFJ) strives to positively impact lives through supporting reputable charities while stewarding donations from our supporters in the United States of America to Jamaica.
In February this year, the annual AFJ grant cycle closed with 54 discretionary grant application submissions; 24 discretionary grant applications were approved by the AFJ Grants Committee and were awarded during the upcoming Official Grant Ceremony on May 2nd, 2023. Discretionary grants combined with donor-direct grant awards and donations received on the AFJ’s online giving platform “Choose A Cause” are valued at US$593,500.27 (JA$90,877,176.79). The grants being presented at the Grant Awards Ceremony forms part of nearly U$1 million in funds from the AFJ to grantees in Jamaica this year.Â
The full list of grants to be presented during the ceremony are A New Jamaica of Peace Foundation, Bethel Baptist Church, Bloom Early Childhood Centre of Excellence, Bob and Rita Marley Foundation, Breds – Treasure Beach Foundation, Bull Savannah Primary School, Busy Bee Educational Enrichment (BBEE), C.B. Facey Foundation, Chain Of Hope, Child Resiliency Programme, Christel House (CHJ), Church Teachers’ College, Creative Language-Based Learning (CLBL), Eye Health Institute, Friends of Hopewell, Hope Zoo, Institute of Jamaica, Issa Trust Foundation, Jamaica Cancer Society, Jamaica Conservation Partners, Jamaica Environment Trust, Jamaica Musical Theatre Company (JMTC), Jamaica Trail Project, Jamaican Advantage Thru Sports for Youth (JASY), Journey 2 Free, JSPCA, Kingston Creative, Lasco Chin Foundation, Mission of Sight, Musson Foundation, Mustard Seed Communities, National Education Trust (NET), ODEM Foundation, Pocket Rocket Foundation, Portland Arts and Vocational Education (PAVE) Centre, Project STAR, RISE Life Management Services, Rose Town Foundation, Sacred Heart Church, Seprod Foundation, Songs For Sound, Southern Basketball Conference, St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Early Childhood Institution, University of the West Indies Scholarships (Amb. Sue Cobb, Amb. Gary Cooper, Amb. Glen Holden, Ralph & Ricky Lauren Family Foundation, Kathleen & Mark Newman, Kevin Akindele Wright, Klotz Family, Margaret “Peggy” Steuart, Sydney A. Phillips), Wattle and Red Earth (WARE) Collective, We Care For Cornwall Regional Hospital, Wolmer’s Safe Shelter Programme for Girls Fund, Wolmer’s Rebuilding Fund, and Women Center of Jamaica Foundation.
“The AFJ believes in reducing education inequity, investing in skills-building opportunities and improving patient care. This year’s grants are an inclusive representation of our mission to impact Education, Healthcare and Economic Development in Jamaica,” states Caron Chung, Executive Director.
The AFJ’s grantmaking cycle begins in November, grantees are selected once per year. The AFJ is able to award grants from proceeds raised from annual fundraisers in New York and Miami, private foundations, corporate partnerships, donor direct contributions and the AFJ online giving platform.
