Since there have been a lot of requests for information on how to donate supplies to needy organizations on the island, I'm posting this message I just received. Its from Friends of Jamaica, a "...non-profit charitable organization dedicated to supporting education, health, social, and environmental programs in Jamaica".

TreasureBeach.Net is not affiliated with them and this particular project is not in Treasure Beach, but they're are good organization and its a small island. Help anywhere is good.

If you do contact them, let them know that you heard about them here. Maybe our two groups can team up on future projects.

-TBNet

--- FROM FOJ ---
On Jan 17th, FOJ member Rich Sitler (richs85@yahoo.com) began serving in Jamaica as a Crisis Corps Volunteer, working as a curriculum coordinator for the Ewarton Community Development Action Committee. Yesterday, 2/2/06 he sent me a message asking for help. See below for the main part of his message:

"As far as progress on my project, it is going slow. We have a facility that we are slowly furnishing and repairing. We have many needs. We are going to open up the center in about a week offering homework assistance.

In the long run our goal is to offer young males ages 15 and up who have dropped out of school a place to find opportunities and training. We hope to be a precursor to the vocational schools here such as Heart/NTA. We want to prepare these young men to be able to take advantage of opportunities that already exist. Reading is a concern and we are looking for reading materials that would be directed towards young men, so they can find materials they would want to read. We also need computer programs. Looking for self-learning programs and such.

Finally, my supervisor was asking for a "Hooked on Phonics" program. If any FOJ member is interested in helping have them contact me.

Thanks and bless,

Richard,
Ewarton P.O. St. Catherine
Jamaica, WEST INDIES
876-47408424"

also, Marcia, the lady in charge of FOJ has a personal connection to the TB area, she is by professional nurse, and a few years back came and gave a few courses to the TB emrgency crew. and since becoming in charge of FOJ she has helped out a bit through breds, after IVAN.
marcia is a wonderful woman and this is a good organization in my opinion.