Midwest Mission send relief shipment to Jamaica

By: Chantel Corrie, Executive Director, Midwest Mission

Pawnee, IL (April 13, 2020) – Midwest Mission will be sending their fourth relief shipment to Jamaica on Tuesday, April 13 with their international partner, Food for the Poor. “The container will be valued over $150,000 and consist of medical items, cleaning supplies, hygiene supplies (towel, washcloth, soap, toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, deodorant, finger nail clippers, Band-Aids and comb), sewing items, and education supplies along with bikes, sewing machines, student desks and chairs, and tarps (from Lamar Advertising),” says Chantel Corrie, Executive Director of Midwest Mission.


Food for the Poor will order the shipping container to arrive at our distribution center where we will load it with the relief supplies that have been donated by Midwest Missionaries and other partners. Once loaded, it will travel by rail, then by ship to the port in Jamaica, and then to the Food for the Poor warehouse. 

Jamica is the third largest island in the Caribbean and is home to about three million people. The island has seen an alarming increase in poverty, violent crime and unemployment. These relief supplies will help support the most vulnerable but also help Jamaica with their COVID-19 Response. COVID-19 arrived to Jamaica on March 10, 2020 and they currently have 72 confirmed cases and 4 Deaths. In the United States COVID-19 arrived on January 15, 2020 so Jamaica is preparing for an increase in cases. 

“Food for the Poor reached out to us with requests from their employees in Jamaica, hospitals and other non-profits they work with in-country. We were able to put together supplies that have been donated to us by other non-profits and the people of the United Methodist Church. We also specially ordered supplies for this shipment as we were out of many of our health and hygiene items from US disbursements. We had volunteers come in the last two weeks to work specifically on making hygiene kits for this shipment,” said Chantel Corrie. 

ABOUT FOOD FOR THE POOR JAMACIA 

Jamaica was the first country assisted by Food For The Poor, which began helping the island nation in 1982. 

• Food For The Poor has built, replaced or expanded more than 291 schools 
• Since inception, the charity built 35,779 homes island-wide 
• They work with 25 children's homes caring for 500 children 

In 1983, Food For The Poor-Jamaica was established and is the largest charity organization in Jamaica. The office and warehouse complex is located in Spanish Town, at the intersection of five highways, which leads to all parts of the island. Food For The Poor partners with more than 1,300 churches and institutions for the distribution of food, medicine, educational supplies and other needed items. Food For The Poor has completed hundreds of projects in Jamaica with a focus on education, medical, housing and agriculture. In 2019, the ministry shipped 583 tractor-trailers of essential supplies. 

Education: 

• In 2019, Food For The Poor built, repaired or expanded 15 schools. In 2017, Food For The Poor made history in Jamaica by building 100 schools in five years thanks to the generous support of its donors in the United States, Canada and Jamaica. 
• A total of 291 schools have been assisted by projects that have built, repaired or expanded schools island-wide. Food For The Poor continuously provides schools with furniture, supplies and sports equipment, creating a healthy learning environment for students. 
• In 2019, Food For The Poor donated 40 computer sets. Each set can be used by six students at a time. A total of 760 computer sets have been donated, providing computer access for 4,560 students in schools, homework centers and other underserved neighborhood sites. 
• Schools regularly are provided with food to support breakfast and lunch programs. As a result, schools report increased attendance, better performance and greater student attention spans. Additional nutritional support is provided through agriculture projects and chicken coops. 

Medical: 

• Moravia Health Center, Harry Watch Clinic, Manchester, and Rock River Health Center, Clarendon are completed. 
• Medicines and other medical supplies are provided to clinics and hospitals across the island. Durable medical equipment such as walkers and wheelchairs are provided to needy recipients. 
• Two annual health fairs are held in Kingston and Westmoreland to provide free healthcare access to children and adults. In 2019, Food For The Poor’s Our Lady of the Poor Clinic had more than 4,200 patient visits for blood pressure and blood sugar checks, HIV testing, dental, vision and hearing examinations, and general medical check-ups. 
• Food For The Poor provided eight health centers with water storage projects. 
• Food For The Poor provides financial assistance to aid in the care of more than 200 occupants in the country’s largest residential facility for the sick and the elderly. 

ABOUT MIDWEST MISSION DISTRUBTION CENTER 

Since opening for ministry in 2000, Midwest Mission has been showing God’s Love in practical ways through the distribution of education, health, micro-business, and disaster relief supplies, and meeting basic human needs around the world and around the corner. A “hands-on” mission experience for all ages and abilities is provided to those who serve at Midwest Mission, bringing hope to those receiving supplies. 

The mission of Midwest Mission is hearts and hands transforming the resources of God’s people into humanitarian relief. For every $1 donated, $6.33 of supplies were sent out to reach 294,422 people in crisis. In 2019, Midwest Mission sent 33 International Shipments to the Caribbean, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Kenya, Mexico, Nigeria, Panama, Peru, Puerto Rico, Trinidad, and Uganda. In addition, 257 shipments were sent domestically. The total value of aid shipped out of Midwest Mission in 2019 was $3,805,371. 

Midwest Mission distributes its kits, resources, and supplies after receiving a request. Supplies are given free of charge regardless of gender, race or religion. They connect with local aid organizations by providing items that are received that do not meet kit requirements. Midwest Mission is one of ten cooperating depots in the United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) Supply Network. Midwest Mission distributes UMCOR supplies in response to disasters within the United States. They also collaborate with Central Illinois Christians in Mission, Food for the Poor, Franciscan Mission Warehouse, and U.S. Southern Command. Lead by Executive Director, Chantel Corrie.