The Grace & Staff Community Development Foundation (Grace & Staff) last week marked a milestone moment with the official renaming and reopening of the Frances Madden Learning and Empowerment Centre, formerly known as the Learning Institute of Central Kingston. 

The Centre, which is managed by Grace & Staff and is well-known for its work in education and community development, now honours one of its most influential founders and leaders.

The renaming is more than symbolic and reflects a rededication to the Centre’s mission and its legacy of empowerment through education. The late Frances Madden, former General Manager of Grace & Staff, played a pivotal role in the Centre’s founding and was the driving force behind several transformative initiatives that continue to impact the downtown Kingston community.

Speaking at the reopening ceremony on Tower Street on Friday, June 20, Frank James, GraceKennedy Group CEO, paid tribute to Mrs Madden’s legacy, “[She] wasn’t just a valued GK team member, she was a pillar of the Central Kingston community and a champion for Jamaica and Jamaicans. She joined GraceKennedy in 1982 and quickly became a powerful force for good, someone who listened deeply, understood the needs of the people, and helped build lasting, practical solutions to uplift the community.”

Madden’s many contributions include the establishment of the Centre in 1985, which has provided a safe, structured environment for thousands of students to access academic support, personal development, and cultural enrichment. She also led the creation of the Parents of Inner-City Kids (PICK) programme, which gave families a vital support system and voice, and the Central Kingston Task Team, which brought together community stakeholders around shared goals.

Ahead of its reopening, the Centre underwent extensive renovations, supported by GraceKennedy Limited, GK General Insurance, GK Capital Management, e-Learning Jamaica, and Sherwin-Williams. 

At the reopening ceremony, Sandrina Davis, CEO of Grace & Staff, remarked, “This Centre stands as tangible proof of her vision. It belongs to the people of Central Kingston and its surrounding communities. We hope it will continue to be a hub for academic growth, leadership development, and empowerment.”

In response, Christopher Madden, son of the late Frances Madden, shared his family’s gratitude, “We express our profound thanks to GraceKennedy for honouring our mother in this way. Her belief in education, empowerment, love for people, and commitment to community development was always her passion. For this Centre to now bear her name is a great distinction, and it recognises her legacy of extraordinary service to humanity.”