Hearts United Holistic Care Foundation was officially launched on Sunday, 13th December 2020, at the Emilio Wilson Recreational Park. This historic event was attended by a cross-section of residents.
The foundation was incorporated to provide a much needed, supportive environment, characterized to motivate, develop, and rehabilitate. Further, it will also offer a platform for the empowerment of individuals, and care for our senior citizens, and vulnerable families, which will result in fulfilling the needs of every individual, foster greater self-confidence and establish stronger family autonomy. By extension, we create resilient communities.
The highlight of the event was the pilot project, “Adopt A Grandparent Experience” (AGE), which is seen as an excellent opportunity to develop a co-mentoring community-based program. consisting of students/organizations and seniors.
To make this program a success, we are reaching out to youths, organizations, and persons in the community who will be given an opportunity to adopt a senior. That individual or organization will serve as a caretaker for the senior and our Foundation will ensure that the adopter/adoptee experience is a worthwhile one. Both individual/organization and senior can experience the bound of a relationship that is mutually beneficial. It is our expectation that through the providing of information to the individual, it will be possible to have a direct and positive effect on the well being of the seniors of the community.
Some of the activities would include, but not limited to, providing company, friendly conversations, playing games or engaging in mind-stimulating activities, reminders of important necessities, as well as provide technological assistance to the seniors, especially the use of their smartphones. In return, the senior would have the opportunity to share historical information with the youth, give guidance, motivate and assist in instilling values and morals. Sharing of knowledge between both parties will be beneficial.
During the launch, various stakeholders expressed their expectations as to how beneficial the program would be. Such persons included NIPA’s Director-Training Operations & Innovations, Mr. Ian Kirt Mc Intosh, and Job Coach Coordinator, Mrs. Andrea Gibson-Paul. Both were instrumental in collaborating with HUHC in having the students of the Year 2 and 3 Social Pedagogic Worker Classes actually perform their practical training in the foundation’s AGE Project. Other stakeholders included Mrs. Esther St Luce and Mrs. Hazel of the “Now Generation” youth group. The Keynote Speaker was Mrs. Shermina Powell-Richardson, Acting Secretary-General of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Youth & Sport, while one of the nation’s spiritual fathers, Apostle Rosemond Romney, pronounced God’s blessings on the Foundation.
The foundation also has a series of projects, to be implemented within short, such as Senior Sitting, Feeding, and Family Rehabilitation as well as catering to Youths, Marriages, and the Family structure.
