It's a boy!!!!! Important info on the "get kids to school" program in negril - GKTS

Mi Lady and I have committed to helping out a young lad is his quest for an education. His name is Ricardo, he is 7 years old, and he has the biggest smile that I have ever seen. We are sponsoring him through his school years starting with the up coming school year that starts very soon.

The following is an excerpt from an email from Father Jim of Mary Gate of Heaven Catholic Church and St. Anthony's Kitchen:

The idea of the GKTS program, of course, is to make sure children go to school. Most of the ones we are serving come from single mom families and mom simply does not have the financial resources to send the kids every day. She needs lunch money, in many cases taxi fare and occasionally school supplies. At the beginning of the school year she needs to buy uniforms, shoes, book bags and so on—all way beyond her means. That’s where we come in. We ask and expect the moms to pay some part of the cost. She has to assume some responsibility in the education of her children and she needs to invest in that. It’s an ongoing challenge but we keep at it and moms are responding—some very well and some so-so—but we hang in there.

The cost of sponsoring a child varies depending on the location of the school, the cost of lunch and the taxi fare!

Basic School (Pre-K and K) = $32/month
Negril All Age School (elementary) = $40/month
Mt. Airy All Age = $50/month
High schools = $90/month (taxi fare is the big difference)

The above costs do not include outfitting a child for the start of school (uniforms, shoes, book bags, supplies, etc.). That runs about $70/child.

What ever you can do to help the kids would be greatly appreciated. Any donation to the website: www.franciscan.org will be welcome. Just click on the “Donate” button on the top tool bar, fill out the form with your Credit Card info, and put “For Father Jim Bok – GKTS – Negril, Jamaica” in the “Comments” box on the lower left of the form. The donation is 100% tax deductible depending on your tax situation

Any specific questions or to inquire as to how to get started sponsoring a child, contact info is below.

Fr. James Bok, O.F.M.
Mary Gate of Heaven Roman Catholic Church
P.O. Box 2564
Norman Manley Blvd
Negril, Westmoreland
876.957.4900
jimbok@franciscan.org

The school year begins in just a few short weeks; but the kids are in need year round. Please help if you can.

Thanks for reading - Weathermon and Mi Lady

What a wonderful thing! What is the timeline for this, meaning how quickly does the donation move into buying the supplies? Will you have any interaction with Ricardo and his mother?

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Originally Posted by tfw73

What a wonderful thing! What is the timeline for this, meaning how quickly does the donation move into buying the supplies? Will you have any interaction with Ricardo and his mother?

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The donation goes to Cincinnati and the funds are made available in a short time. The supplies are being gathered together now, probably, as the kids start back soon. We will be able to meet Ricardo during our next reach in December and will be given progress reports along the way. We are so excited to be able to do this. He is assured of breakfast every school day morning and taxi to school.

Thanks!

I am going to look at the link. As a teacher, I believe this is a wonderful program. EVERY child should have the opportunity to go to school with all the things that they need for success. If those babies have empty tummies, that just can't learn. I bet y'all feel on top of the world!

Dear Weathermon and Milady, thanks for your sponsoring Ricardo and thanks for posting this thread. Perhaps some other Negril fans would like to assist. Currently we are assisting 41 children--and there are plenty others looking for help. GKTS is totally dependent on the kindness of others. Hats off to the Franciscan Friars in Western Canada who have given us a USD$15,000 grant for GKTS for this school year. The friars cover about 80% of the cost of the programme. Thanks, too, to the local Rotary Club who financially support GKTS and to Rotarian Joan Cooney (called by all the moms and kids--Ms. Joans) who oversees the programme. Joan is a Godsend! We welcome your participation! --Fr. Jim

Anyone interested in sponsoring a child or assisting with a contribution can do so by going to www.franciscan.org and clicking on DONATE. You can also send a check to my Franciscan provincial offices in Cincinnati--FriarWorks, 1615 Vine Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202. The gift for US folks is tax-deductible. They wire the funds into our account here. Gifts can be sent me at the address in Weathermon and Milady's thread above. YOU CANADIANS--I just learned that the Franciscan Friars in Western Canada can accept your gift for us--you get a tax break I am told. I am waiting to hear where you send the contributions! Stay tuned!

tfw73 mentioned that if those babies have an empty stomach they cannot learn! That's why we serve breakfast at the Kitchen every school morning. We happily spent USD$1 00 on breakfast from January through June this year. --Fr. Jim

I taught myself to type and did a pretty lousy job of it--the previous comment should say we spent USD$1,500 on breakfast from January through June this year. --Fr. Jim

What a wonderful thing to do Weatherman! Many blessings to you and you lovely lady~

Bigups to you weathermon and milady. I will definitely look into this and donate. Like the saying goes, I believe the children are the future...

This is amazing stewardship. We will be sponsoring a child.

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Originally Posted by Kay Spiker Pontius

This is amazing stewardship. We will be sponsoring a child.

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Thanks, Kay.....it makes our insides feel so good.

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Originally Posted by Schuttzie

What a wonderful thing to do Weatherman! Many blessings to you and you lovely lady~

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Thanks, Mon. We have spent so much time in Negril over the past 23 years and now wish to give something back. This is our way.

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Originally Posted by kaycee

Bigups to you weathermon and milady. I will definitely look into this and donate. Like the saying goes, I believe the children are the future...

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Your donation will inspire other, I am sure! Thanks!

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Originally Posted by St. Anthony's Kitchen

I taught myself to type and did a pretty lousy job of it--the previous comment should say we spent USD$1,500 on breakfast from January through June this year. --Fr. Jim

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If all I had was one typo, I'd be ecstatic!

Good evening!

As Fr. Jim said, BIG THANKS!! What you've done to assist a child in need is appreciated by him, his family, the Kitchen family and God :)

Blessings to all who help the GKTS cause!
St. Anthony's Kitchen

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Originally Posted by St. Anthony's Kitchen

Good evening!

As Fr. Jim said, BIG THANKS!! What you've done to assist a child in need is appreciated by him, his family, the Kitchen family and God :)

Blessings to all who help the GKTS cause! St. Anthony's Kitchen

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I just hope that more of us Negrilaholics will be able to help the GKTS program. It is just too important!

Weathermon & MiLady - Big ups to both of you for what you are doing :)

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Originally Posted by St. Anthony's Kitchen

YOU CANADIANS--I just learned that the Franciscan Friars in Western Canada can accept your gift for us--you get a tax break I am told. I am waiting to hear where you send the contributions! Stay tuned! --Fr. Jim

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Fr Jim - that is GREAT news! I'll look forward to the details - feel free to PM me if you like

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Originally Posted by 2nutz4travel

Weathermon & MiLady - Big ups to both of you for what you are doing :)

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Thanks! And it is good news hearing that Canadians can get a tax deduction by going to the Franciscan Friars of Western Canada to make a donation to this worthy cause.

The donation doesn't have to be paid all at once. You can donate by the month, quarter whatever is convenient to aid the kids of Negril.

One more bump before school starts.

FrJim - any word on the Canadian angle??

Here is an update on the Canadian angle of donating. the Franciscan province in Western Canada is happy to accept donations to be sent to our mission here. They currently send us a USD$15,000 a year grant in support of our Get Kids to School Programme. We are profoundly grateful, of course, to our Franciscan brothers up north. I asked where to send the donations and have not heard back. Be patient--they are moving their provincial offices from Edmonton to Cochran right around now and the friars have been on retreat this past week. So, I hope to have an answer soon come! Well, that certainly covers an expanse of time, eh?

Nice use of "eh" Fr Jim :), we might have to make you an honourary Canuck! We're just anxious to do something to help out, that's all...

Me again :) Wondering if you've heard anything about making donations via the Friars out in Alberta?

All you Canadians who what to support a child in the Get Kids to School programme and support our St. Anthony's Kitchen her is what you do....Make a check payable to Franciscan Friars, note the purpose of t he gift, and send it to...

Franciscan Missionary Union
St. Michael's Retreat Centre
P.O. Box 220
Lumsden, Saskatchewan
S0G 3C0

Phone: 306-731-3316
Fax: 306-731-3807

The contact person is Fr. Michael Conaghan, ofm.

Easy as that! Thanks for any and all support!

Oooops! Forgot my signature above! --Fadder Jimaica aka Fr. Jim

Wonderful - thank you!

If I would have taken the name Sky Pilot, I would say to 2nuts4travel, "Welcome aboard!" So, I'll just say thanks for the persistence in pushing me to get the info about Canadian donations and thanks for the interest and most of all thanks for considering a gift. I am grateful! --Fadder Jimaica

My pleasure - is it too late to sponsor a child for this school year?