The Desnoes and Geddes (D&G) Foundation has extended a helping hand to Swallowfield Infant and Primary School with a donation of J$250,000, enabling the purchase of a chest freezer, a welcome addition that promises to significantly enhance the students’ daily experience.

The cheque handover took place on the school’s premises, located on Whitehall Avenue, and principal Jacqueline Bailey couldn’t hide her gratitude for the foundation’s donation. She said, “Currently, we have to store some of our frozen items in the tuck shop on our school grounds, and ever so often, we have to walk with these items across the compound when we’re ready to use them. Not only do we experience the inconvenience of doing that, but we also lack the space to store the items. So, the foundation’s donation towards a new freezer comes at the right time, and brings us great appreciation.”

Swallowfield Infant and Primary School initiated its breakfast programme over a decade ago to support students from less-fortunate backgrounds, many of whom face challenging living conditions.

The programme caters for up 200 students each week, providing nourishing breakfast options such as porridge, eggs, bread, and cakes, to ensure these young minds start their day on the right foot, ready to learn.

“With this donation, we anticipate that we’ll be able to support even more students,” Bailey added.

With this milestone achieved, Swallowfield Infant and Primary School is setting its sights on further improvements, including the expansion of the school’s infrastructure, addressing the need for new furniture, enhancing Internet access across the campus, creating vibrant murals, and acquiring additional tools and devices to enrich the learning and teaching experience.

D&G Foundation accountant Dennis Beckford, reflecting on the company’s dedication to supporting Jamaica’s early childhood sector, expressed its commitment to assisting schools in need.

He said, “We hope that with our donation, more students will benefit from the feeding program, creating a strong foundation for its expansion. We are glad to have formed this partnership and look forward to extending more support to as many schools as possible,”

The recent donation to Swallowfield Infant and Primary School is part of the D&G Foundation’s ongoing commitment to improving Jamaica’s early-childhood education sector. In September, the foundation also provided back-to-school support for The Christian Early Childhood Academy, Callaloo Mews Basic School, and Joseph Royal Educational Centre in the Corporate Area.