Residents of several inner-city communities, including Seaview Gardens, Riverton City, Olympic Gardens, and Waterhouse, will benefit from donations recently received by the St Patrick’s Foundation from the Holy Cross Mission Team in Ontario, Canada.
The St Patrick’s Foundation, located in Seaview Gardens, St Andrew, with its mission of imparting relevant skills, opportunities, and care to residents of select low-income communities, making possible their social and economic advancement, will use the donations to empower and motivate citizens to become self-reliant and responsible.
The foundation offers salon services through the cosmetology programme at the Christ the Redeemer Human Resource Centre and a range of beauty services, including hair, nail, and skincare and massage therapy at affordable prices.
The foundation also offers catering services through the Commercial Food Preparation programme at the Christ the Redeemer Human Resource Centre. The catering service serves as a revenue stream that supports community-development programmes, boasts fine food and exceptional service, providing customised menu options.
They also cover corporate events of all sizes, private individuals, schools, and church-related events in Kingston and St Andrew.
Furniture manufacturing and repair services are available from the woodwork programme. A variety of furniture can be made to order, and these include dressers, tables, desks, chairs, and stools. The students also manufacture wooden plaques.
The foundation also has a strong and successful remedial programme, which serves students as young as 12. The main focus is to improve literacy and numeracy skills and prepare the students for the Grade Nine Achievement Test (GNAT).
Once successful in the GNAT, students are able to rejoin the regular high-school system. They are also able to transition to any one of the skills training programmes offered by the foundation.