FREE TOWN, Clarendon — Approximately 300 students from nine communities benefited from the Free Town Foundation’s annual back-to-school treat and mental health fair last Friday.

A team from the Clarendon Health Department also provided free health checks for seniors in addition to the free medical checks for students.

Opal Thompson, programmes coordinator with the Free Town Foundation, said the students received notebooks, crayons, pencils, highlighters, and other stationery depending on their ages and grade level.

“The focus today was on mental health because we realise a lot of school children are struggling. Mental health is not being addressed the way it is supposed to. A lot of people are walking around with some form of mental problem and that sometimes contributes to children being suicidal in some instances,” said Thompson.

“Nobody wants to admit they have some some kind of mental problem because its taboo but we all need someone to talk to. A lot of times we are going through something, some abuse, serial or physical and it’s hidden because you don’t want people to know the struggle,” added Thompson as she explained the reasoning behind the mental health focus.

Thompson encouraged students who may be having challenges to find someone to talk to instead of keeping their emotions bottled up.

In delivering the keynote address, Sergeant Dean Cover, safe school coordinator for Police Area 3, encouraged parents to keep up-to-date with their children’s social media activities.

“You need to know what your child is watching and doing on social media. If you don’t know how to monitor their devices ask someone who knows. You would not want your child to be exposed to other things on social media when you are asleep.

“I’m asking all of us to make sure we understand this social media thing. I want us as parents to be vigilant, be watchful and if your child come home from school and tell you something about being bullied pay attention. Whether they are being bullied online or in person, you must act, because these are some of the things that contribute to your children’s poor mental health” said Cover.

In the meantime, William Hutchinson, senior pastor of the Free Town Church of Prophesy, told the Jamaica Observer that each year the number of people who benefits from the event increases.

“Last year we served approximately 260 people, this year we’re well over 300. So that tells me the foundation is reaching all the communities well beyond Free Town and its environs which includes Longville Park, Cockpit, Rosehall, Savannah Cross, Dampy and as far as Canaan Heights,” said Hutchinson.

He pointed out that Free Town Foundation benefits from donors, locally and overseas, who gave of cash and kind.

“I am happy and highly appreciative of the members of the executive and the donors of the Free Town Foundation. Service to humanity is the rent we pay to continue living on this earth. Those who give to the poor lendeth to God and so for every contributor, we know that there is a reward,” added Hutchinson.

He told the Observer that his church manages to cater to the whole man through lifetime partnerships with other stakeholders.

“It’s not just about coming here every Sunday and preaching the word of God, but I know that preaching is five per cent of a pastor’s duty and 95 per cent is administrative work which includes all of this here today. I hope that the members of Free Town and adjacent communities who have been benefiting over the years will be grateful to the foundation,” said Hutchinson.