GK Campus Connect Food Bank at UTech, Jamaica Receives Fruitful Boost from JP Tropical Foods

Officers representing University of Technology, Jamaica, Jamaica Producers (JP) Tropical Foods Limited and Grace Kennedy Foundation display some of the fruits from the first  monthly donation by JP Tropical Foods Ltd. to the GraceKennedy (GK) Campus Connect Food Bank at UTech, Jamaica, to benefit  students in need, at a presentation on March 23, 2022 at the UTech, Jamaica Papine Campus. From left are Sujae Boswell, Business Development Manager, Grace Kennedy Limited, Mrs. Caroline Mahfood, CEO, Grace Kennedy Foundation, Dr. Haldane Johnson, Acting Deputy President, UTech, Jamaica, Ms. Gayon Douglas, Marketing Executive, JP Tropical Foods Limited and Ms. Daniellea Wadsworth, UTech, Jamaica Students’ Union President’s Assistant.

University of Technology, Jamaica students in need who benefit from the monthly allotment of groceries provided by the GraceKennedy (GK) Campus Connect Food Bank will now also be receiving fruits, thanks to a partnership between the Jamaica Producers (JP) Tropical Foods Limited and the Grace Kennedy Foundation. The first allocation of fruits, including bananas and pineapples, was presented to the Food Bank on Wednesday, March 23, 2022 at a special ceremony held at the UTech, Jamaica Papine Campus. The GK Campus Connect Food Bank was established in 2019, and serves university students in need from UTech, Jamaica, The University of The West Indies, Mona, and the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts.

Dr. Haldane Johnson, Acting Deputy President, who received the donation, expressed appreciation to Ms. Gayon Douglas, Marketing Executive, JP Tropical Foods Limited, and Mrs. Caroline Mahfood, Chief Executive Officer, Grace Kennedy Foundation for their generosity and resourcefulness in collaborating to offer the fruits, in addition to non-perishable food supplies already provided on a monthly basis, noting that students in need usually prioritize other expenses, including tuition and books, over their nutrition.

Mrs. Caroline Mahfood, CEO, Grace Kennedy Foundation, expressed gratitude to JP Tropical Foods Limited for joining the effort to address food insecurity among university students. She also had high praises for the University of Technology, Jamaica for “being incredibly supportive of our initiative”, through providing a space for storage and distribution of the items. Outlining that the Food Bank now serves over one hundred students, Mrs. Mahfood indicated that there are plans to expand the initiative’s reach to three hundred students in the next two years.

Ms. Gayon Douglas, Marketing Executive, JP Tropical Foods Limited, reiterating her company’s commitment to the initiative, indicated that the fruits will be delivered fresh from the farms in St. Mary, and efforts will be made to address issues of storage and minimizing spoilage.

In offering effusive thanks on behalf of the University of Technology, Jamaica Students’ Union, Ms. Daniellea Wadsworth, Students’ Union President’s Assistant, shared that she is a beneficiary of the Food Bank, and is grateful for the reassurance that she will have consistent meals thanks to the monthly allocation.  She also agreed that students often prioritize their studies over their wellbeing, even as she stressed the importance of maintaining balanced nutrition. “We know the importance of fruits, and naturally grown unprocessed food, in our diets,” she expressed, adding that the inclusion will make “somebody a little bit healthier and a little bit happier.”

Ms. Pauline Madourie, Scholarship Officer, UTech, Jamaica, who assists the Grace Kennedy Foundation in identifying students to benefit from the initiative, noted that the Food Bank is accessible to students, through referral by lecturers, University counselors and other members of staff. Students can also make an application to the Scholarship Office for assistance.

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Contact:
Michelle Beckford (Mrs.)
Corporate Communications Manager
University of Technology, Jamaica
Telephone: 876 970-5299 
Email: mbeckford@utech.edu.jm