FEEDING OF THE 5000 ‘Young Jamaicans helping Jamaica’
FEEDING OF THE 5000 ‘Young Jamaicans helping Jamaica’
Written By Shashawa S. Robinson
Copyright Š2018 Shashawa S. Robinson All rights reserved. No parts of this publication may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the written permission of the author. Printed and bound in Jamaica.
Contents Title Acknowledgment Introduction Jordan Bennett: A charitable Journey Youth Volunteerism The Volunteers •Supreme Mustafa • Ashley Lewis Homelessness in the Corporate Area Credits
Page Number 5 7 8-13 14-17 18-20 19 20 21-25 26
Acknowledgment I would like to thank everyone who helped to make this publication a reality. Mr. Jordan Bennett and his foundation have been instrumental in the realization of this project. In fact, this entire publication is dedicated to his efforts to make Jamaica a better place, one square meal at a time. Likewise, I would like to thank Ishmael Douglas for assisting with the photography, my lecturers for their continuous guidance and my project supervisor Mr. Melville Cooke for taking me on at the last minute. Lastly, thank you to all of the persons I forgot to mention.
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The Feeding of the 5000 “The heart of a volunteer is not measured in size, but in the commitment to make a difference in other people’s lives” -Unknown
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Introduction This publication pays homage to the work of young philanthropist Jordan Bennett and his organization ‘Feeding of the 5000 Outreach Foundation’. It also acknowledges the work of the hundreds of volunteers who take time to assist with his vision and the impact that they have on the lives of so many.
this publication hopes to get the attention of young adults in an attempt to get more of them to engage in youth volunteerism.
The hope of this publication is to highlight the work and importance of organizations such as Feeding of the 5000 and the significance of youth volunteerism to Jamaica. Likewise, Page|7
Jordan Bennett: A Journey to Charity From as long as I can remember, I have had a deep passion for helping the needy.” – Jordan Bennett For the young philanthropist and student at the University of Technology, Jamaica, Jordan Bennett (photographed above), youth volunteerism is more than just giving back to the less fortunate, it is a way of life. Bennett is the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the Feeding of the 5000 Outreach Foundation Limited, a registered “non-profit organization whose mission is to help to change the world by changing individual lives.” The Feeding of the 5000 initiative started in April 2012 as a one-time event. Page|8
That event, with very little funding, was able to feed more than 250 people across the corporate area. The satisfaction of being able to provide food for persons in need was undeniable for Bennett and that one-off event snowballed into the great volunteer organization it is today. Jordan has always been a compassionate and generous soul. While at the Kingsway High School, Bennett was able to assist fellow schoolmates with graduation fees by selling sweets on campus. This was the genesis of his now meaningful and impactful journey to philanthropy.
Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, how will they go among so many?” -John 6v9 Like Jesus did for the 5000 men in Galilee, so did Jordan Bennett for the 6200 individual lives he has touched so far with his organization. This same biblical event became the inspiration behind the name of his Feeding of the 5000 Outreach Foundation. In keeping with their motto “young Jamaicans helping Jamaica”, the Feeding of the 5000 events have been enlisting the help of a number of youth volunteers in and around the Corporate Area. Twice per year, in Page|9
April and December, volunteers and sponsors converge at the foundation’s headquarters at 2b Grafton Road in Vineyard Town, to treat and feed the nation’s most vulnerable: the disabled, the elderly and the homeless. “Its not only about feeding persons, its also about socializing with them so that they can develop a certain amount of trust in us. We have to be sensitive toward them because aggression can drive them away.”-Jordan Bennett For information on how to sponsor or volunteer with this foundation, visit their website at http://feedingofthe5000. org.
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Volunteer preparing drinks for the guests on Feeding day.
Volunteers packaging food for thehomeless on Feeding day.
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Youth Volunteerism Vo l u n t e e r handing out lunches in Down Town, Kingston.
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The United Nations (UN) defines youth as “persons between the ages of 15 and 24 years old”. Volunteerism however, is considered “an altruistic activity where an individual or group provides services for no financial or social gain to benefit another person, group or organization”. In today’s world, youth, or more commonly “millennials” are given a bad reputation. In today’s world, youth, or more commonly “millennials” are given a bad reputation. They are often called entitled, spoiled and lazy. In such premises, the last thing a young person would be caught doing is volunteer work.
Fortunately, these are mere misconceptions as a considerable number of young people volunteer worldwide. The University of Nebraska outlined in a study that, “around 59% of young people are engaged in voluntary service.” Whether it is with a church, a community or an established organization such as Jordan Bennett’s Feeding of the 5000 Outreach Foundation, young people are indeed giving back. With roughly 1.2 million young people in the world, the area of youth volunteerism seems to be of growing interest. Rightly so, the benefits that come with volunteering are far-reachPage|13
Mural on the wall of the Feeding of the 5000 Outreach Foundation’s headqurters on 2b Grafton Road.
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ing. The United Nations suggests that volunteering is associated with a 27% higher chance of employment, and the effects are especially strong for those without a high school diploma or live in rural areas. Considering that many volunteer organizations are spearheaded by stakeholders that posses much influence, it is not uncommon for volunteers to
make lasting networking connections. Likewise, according to the UN “young people increasingly feel that volunteerism complements formal education in teaching skills such as leadership, that are required for the job market.� Moreover, volunteer organizations act as a refuge for many delinquent youths, which in turn aids in community development, crime rates and sometimes teen parenthood. Page|16
Volunteer Shadeika Roberts dancing with one of the seniors being feted on Feeding day December, 2017.
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The Volunteers “Volunteers do not necessarily have time; they have heart.� -Elizabeh Andrew
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Supreme Mustafa “I started being involved with Feeding of the 5000 based on the fact that I went to high school with Jordan Bennett. He was kind from back then. He was always doing charitable things. But I really started when he reached out to me
and told me what it was about and I was really excited about it. The reason why I’m a part of Feeding of the 5000 is because it is a good movement. He is young. He is doing something that is exceptional. He is going out and feeding people. He’s not only feeding people but he is doing great work in different schools and communities and giving back. It is great to see a young Jamaican giving back to the community.” -Supreme Mustafa Page|19
Ashley Lewis “I originally got involved with Feeding of the 5000 out of boredom. I was at home every day and realized that it’s something that goes on nearby my house. I got involved and grew to love it. It’s something positive that I’m doing when I’m involved with volunteerism, as opposed to sitting at home not doing anything. Feeding of the 5000 and volunteerism is my way of giving back since I believe that I am very blessed. Many of us are able to go to school, have food in our fridge every day and live comfortably. We are blessed, especially in Jamaica, so it is important to reach out and give back to those Jamaicans who may not be as blessed in the same ways.” -Ashley Lewis Page|20
Homelessness in the Corporate Area
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Homelessness in Jamaica is an unfortunate circumstance that has been plaguing the country for decades. However, it has gotten worse since the island was hit by Hurricane Gilbert in 1988, leaving many people displaced. In a survey done in 2012 by The National Committee on Homelessness, there are at 2000 homeless people on the streets, with 834 in Kingston and St. An-
drew. Generally, the homeless are seen as being mentally unstable and incapable of reason, so many people shy away from helping in fear of being hurt. Nonetheless, there are individuals and institutions that dedicate their lives, time and resources to help these people. There are more than 100 such institutions across the island, almost all of them being non-government
facilities. Some include Open Arms, Food for the Poor, The Marie Atkins Homeless Shelter and The Feeding of the 5000 Outreach Foundation run by Mr. Jordan Bennett. Unfortunately, these organizations do not receive government funding and are severely under-resourced, relying on personal funds, donations and volunteers to function.
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It is clear that the nations most vulnerable are of no immediate priority since there are no laws or policies specific to them. Moreover, statistics gathered by the government only account for those who the Poor Relief Department are aware of, so many of them fall through cracks. Similarly, in 2011 the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) donated 65 million dollars for the building of a new homeless facility that would house 150
men and women on Kings Street in Down Town, Kingston. The facility is yet to be built. This is why it is important to have organizations such as The Feeding of the 5000 Outreach Foundation. According to the organization’s Chief Executive Officer Mr. Jordan Bennett, the aim of his foundation is to feed as many people as he can because “ we all know the importance of food to human survival and
we all know for a fact there are many persons here in Jamaica that go to bed hungry.”
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Homeless men and women in Cross Roads.
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For far too long the homeless has been neglected, rejected and mistreated. There are numerous reports of them being beaten, spat on and even burnt while sleeping on the streets. However, nothing comes of these heinous acts. Our government has been turning a blind eye and pre-
tending that they do not hear their pleas. Nonetheless, there are pockets of hope for them when organizations such as Feeding of the 5000 make them a priority and cater to their most basic need-food.
Homeless man after receiving his lunch provided by the Feeding crew on December 17, 2017.
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Credits The Caribbean Current feedingofthe5000.org The Jamaica Gleaner The Jamaica Observer Jordan Bennett Shuttershock, Inc. The United Nations The University of Nebraska
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FEEDING OF THE 5000 ‘Young Jamaicans helping Jamaica’