Janice Little Foundation donates supplies to relief efforts

The Janice Little Foundation, set up by Vincentian international recording star Kevin Little, is expected to make a contribution to the flood relief effort, during a presentation at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs conference room at 10:30 this morning.{{more}}

The Foundation teamed up with the Florida based Christian Disaster Response (CDR) and its executive director Dr Ron Patterson to mobilise supplies to be handed over to the Ministry of Health and SVG Red Cross. The initial connection was made by SVG’s Ambassador to the US LaCelia Prince.

The Foundation said the 20 foot container of supplies and equipment includes: walkers, syringes and needles, crutches, raised toilet seats, pillows, underwear, bandages, wheelchairs, bedside toilets, bath and shower seating, braces, back braces, grab rails, walking canes, urostomy pouches and much more.

Dr Patterson estimates the retail total of the shipment to be over 1/2 million ($500,000.00) dollars.

He has also ordered quite a few pallets of medicine from the needs list provided to him (sent from the Milton Cato Memorial Hospital) and these will be shipped once received.

The Foundation said the St Vincent and the Grenadines Consulate General in New Orleans James R. Sutterfield also reached out to the foundation and facilitated the donation of 45 infusion pumps from the hospital’s needs list (needed 40) and these are also included in the shipment.

The Foundation has expressed thanks to Tropical Shipping which facilitated the shipment at “bare bones” administrative costs of just over 10 per cent of the regular shipping cost.

The Foundation said it is grateful to all who contributed to make the donation and shipment possible and it will continue to solicit monetary sponsorships or donations to facilitate shipping.

Reigning Calypso King Skarpyon and former Soca Monarch winner Maddzart will represent Kevin Lyttle at this morning’s presentation, at which Prime Minister Dr Ralph Gonsalves is expected to be present. Both artistes have been signed to Tarakon Records, founded by Ambassador Kevin Lyttle and are working on releases for later this year.