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establish the home a charitable company
was formed in 1978 with members of the Club
and the Methodist Church as subscribers.
The company was named after
Elsie Bemand (now deceased) who, as the
first West Indian Methodist Deaconess, had
worked among girls and young women.
The purpose of the Home
was to provide temporary shelter for girls
between the ages of 12 & 18 years who
were in need of care and protection, and
who were not involved in violent crimes.
The Girls, over 23 in
number, now reside here, 40 Hialeah Drive,
at property purchased by Club with contributions
from the public and private sectors, and
fund-raising activities. Nearly all the
girls attend schools in the Corporate Area,
while some receive vocational training.
Many of our girls have
made us proud over the years, having been
successful in the CXC and GCE examinations
and have taken up employment in the public
and private sectors. Some pursued professional
studies while others had opportunities to
migrate and settle overseas. Many still
maintain contact with the Housemothers and
Club members
(As an aside, presently
one of our girls is in upper sixth, pursuing
three subjects: History, English Lit, and
Sociology. and will be sitting examinations
in May. She has 9 subjects at CXC level,
4 distinction, 3credits and 2 passes. Her
Goal is to pursue a career in LAW, we are
seeking scholarships to assist her on her
journey.)
Tribute must be paid to
Margaret Forte, Q.C., and Jennifer Cox (both
past presidents of BPW St. Andrew and who
are now deceased) who worked tirelessly
to maintain the Home in the early years.
We owe a debt of gratitude
to the Housemothers, the many individuals,
groups and companies that have made their
contribution to the Home and the development
of the girls over the years.
For many of us the experience
of sharing our love and concern has been
most satisfying. Our challenge it has been
to preserve the existence of the Home amidst
problems with alternative accommodation,
financial constraints and other misfortunes!
It is for this reason, therefore, that the
St. Andrew Business and Professional Women’s
Club remains committed to the support of
the Home and its goal of encouraging young
women to accept their role in the development
of their country.
During the 28 years of
its existence, approximately 500 girls have
been admitted to the Home for periods ranging
from overnight to years. Most of the girls
come through the Family Court pursuant to
a Fit Person Order, and most remain until
the age of 18 years.
Your Help makes
a Difference
The home receives a monthly
subvention from Children’s Services
for each girl, which covers approximately
45 percent of their overall expense. The
remaining 55 percent is derived from contributions
from the St. Andrew Business and Professional
Women’s Club, the Methodist Church,
donations from caring individuals, organizations
and fund-raising events. Donations of cash,
goods and services such as, counseling,
mentoring, homework assistance, are always
needed and are always welcome.
The dream of
creating a world where all women and girls
can thrive is powerful, the possibilities
breathtaking.
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