Organisation launches ‘Diaspora Giving’ campaign for overseas donors

After establishing itself as an avenue of support for creatives, Kingston Creative has been approved by the Charities Authority of the Department of Cooperative and Friendly Societies (DCFS).

As such Kingston Creative can now officially operate as a charity having received charity status as of November 4, 2021. Official charity status benefits the organisation’s faithful donors like Red Stripe, CB Facey, Dennis Shipping and others as now their project support will reward them with traditional charity donation benefits.

Section 13(1)(q) of the income tax act states that there is an allowable deduction of the amount or value of a donation to a registered charitable organisation (however, the allowable deduction shall not exceed five per cent of the statutory income of the organisation).

Kingston Creative has also launched a Diaspora Giving campaign for their overseas donors. There is a tax benefit available through a new partnership with the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ), a 501(c)3 organisation.

Caron Chung, President of the AFJ is throwing her full support behind Kingston Creative saying, “We are really pleased to put our full support behind Kingston Creative as they work to support Jamaican artists and transform downtown Kingston into an Art District.”

This partnership could not have come at a better time, as the United States celebrates the “National Day of Giving” or “Giving Tuesday” which was celebrated on Tuesday, November 30.

The Diaspora campaign is an effort to secure funds for Kingston Creative’s future projects slated for 2022, primarily the large-scale Paint The City mural project on Water Lane in downtown Kingston.

Executive Director of Kingston Creative, Andrea Dempster-Chung is excited about the new charity designation and the partnership with AFJ saying, “This brings even more value to our donors.  We hope that everyone will visit our website (www.kingstoncreative.org) and support our efforts to develop downtown Kingston into the creative and cultural force we know it can become.”