Renown charity organisation The American Friends of Jamaica held its Grants Ceremony at the US Embassy headquarters in Kingston yesterday, donating US$1.3 million to 65 grantees.

Speaking at the ceremony U.S. Charge d’Affaires Scott Renner said that the United States will always be a great friend to Jamaica and stepped up with a US$22 billion package when Hurricane Melissa ploughed into the island at the end of last year. He commended AFJ for all its fantastic efforts.

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green noted the valuable work AFJ does and how this year there was a diverse list of grantees helping Jamaicans.

Former U.S. Ambassador to Jamaica Nick Perry has now joined the Board of AFJ. 

Speaking with Our Today, Executive Director of AFJ Caron Chung, said: “ We launched our grant application site in November and received 88 applications.  Of those, we fulfilled 43 discretionary grants, and the remainder of the 65 total grants are donor grants. We are excited and thrilled to be able to keep this work going.”

Among the grantees are: Alpha School of Music, Mustard Seed Communities, BREDS Treasure Beach Foundation, Halls of Learning, Sagicor Sigma Run, Project STAR, PALS Jamaica, Winsone Wishes for Kids Jamaica, Ambassador Sue M. Cobb Scholarship, The Jamaica Trail Project. Sacred Heart Church, Newell High School, Jamaica Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Janet and Rupert Banton Foundation, The United Miriam Project Fund, University of Technology, Jamaica, Stand Up for Jamaica.