Basseterre, St. Kitts (WINN)- A new community empowerment organization, C.A.R.E ( Compassionate Action to Reach People) aims to tackle poverty, disaster response, community enhancement, and much more in the coming months.
That’s the ambition of founder Dr. Terrance Drew, the chairman of the St. Kitts Nevis Labour Party, a candidate for the SKNLP in Constituency #8 in the last general elections, and a medical practitioner who was trained in Cuba.
” Poverty and Hunger are on the rise here in St. Kitts and Nevis. We may not be conducting the research to measure the extent of the COVID-induced increase over the last almost eighteen months, but if we each took a moment to walk around our various communities, which I do quite often, it is as clear and visible as ever, ” Dr. Drew declared at the launch of the non-profit organization Saturday night at Carambola Beach Club on St. Kitts.
President of C.A.R.E, Nerys Dockery, a former Foreign Service Officer, said the organisation is able to design projects and apply for funding assistance directly with regional and international bodies as a fast track to getting help to those who need it as quickly as possible and without discrimination.
“The endgame of C.A.R.E. is to create a sense of oneness among our people by building a “Coalition of Kindness” across all sectors of our society. Our vision is to see non-governmental organizations, businesses, clergy, and citizens working together and supporting each other, sharing information and collaborating with one another to provide assistance to as many people as possible, ” Ms. Dockery disclosed Saturday.
A C.A.R.E Volunteer Corps is being organized for people of all ages and talents and areas of focus, as described by MsCARE Dockery, are poverty alleviation; disaster response; health, wellness, and nutrition (including mental health); education and empowerment, and community enhancement.
Dr. Drew asserted that “more and more, children are going to bed hungry. With unemployment being so high, more and more parents are unable to feed their families, pay their rent, and cover the basic cost of living…Many persons have not received a salary since March of 2020.”
“If we took a moment to get off the beaten track and explore the alleyways and by-ways of our various communities, we would all recognize the signs of an increase in poverty.”
“Every day, people across this country are forced to make the difficult choice between paying rent or paying bills, or buying food for the family or keeping the lights on…many persons have not received a salary since March 2020, ” he added.
The Foundation had already facilitated, on behalf of the People of St. Eustatius (Statia), the donation of eleven pallets of gallon water bottles to the people of St. Vincent and Grenadines, Dr. Drew reported.
He said efforts were already underway to assist local students, in Cuba, who are having a hard time coping with the pandemic and he also planned to bring to the Board for exploration ” the possibility of establishing a Medical Centre of Excellence for Sickle Cell Patients from all around the Caribbean”.
The C.A.R.E Board Members are:
Dr. Terrance Drew – Founder
Mr. Anthony Johnson – Secretary
Mr. Jonathan Bass
Dr. Christine Walwyn
Mr. Dominic Stephens
Ms. Lauretta Evelyn
Ms. Lanein Blanchette
Ms. Mary Clarke
Ms. Kelvina Salters
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