Good Shepherd Foundation gets a boost
WESTERN BUREAU- The Good Shepherd Foundation, a Montego Bay-based charitable organisation, got a much-needed boost last Saturday, when businessman and franchise holder for Miss Jamaica World Cornwall, Lachu Ramchandani presented the organisation with a $250,000 cheque.
At a brief handing over ceremony Ramchandani said he was very happy to make the donation, which he said would will help to improve the lives of some of society’s less fortunate.
Prior to the staging of the Miss Jamaica World Cornwall beauty pageant that was held in Montego Bay earlier this month, Ramchandani announced that the net proceeds from the contest would go towards the Good Shepherd Foundation.
“This year I am dedicating my time and will be sacrificing my business to do the contest in order to help the less fortunate”, Ramchandani told the Observer in May.
Last week he said the net proceeds from this year’s contest was $112,000. However, Ramchandani said he decided to throw in an additional $138,000 from his personal funds because of his zeal to help the needy and because he felt so strongly about meeting the needs of the Foundation.
Earlier this month, Ramchandani presented the foundation with toiletries, a freezer and drinks valued at over $80,000.
He was also instrumental in getting Digicel, the mobile phone company, to donate $500,000 to the foundation in April.
The Good Shepherd Foundation is a non-profit organisation that provides financial support to a number of charitable institutional across Western Jamaica. These include the AIDS Hospice at Albion, Montego Bay; the Home of Charlotte’s Children and the Widows Mite.
Over the past years the foundation has been soliciting funds from several organisation and individuals in an effort to expand and maintain its services.
In accepting the latest gift, Foundation chairman and custos of St James, Clarence Nelson, thanked Ramchandani for his generous contribution. He also used the opportunity to thank the other organisations and individuals which have made contributions to the five year-old organisation over the years.
“I hope that the Montego Bay community, in particular, will see that our under-privileged people are being helped,” Nelson added.
The handing over ceremony was held at the offices of the organisation’s patron, the reverend Charles Dufour,