VincyCares, Inc. Celebrates 10 Years!

The internet based group in New York, VincyCares, Inc. celebrates 10 years this year. This group was started from an encounter with a 10-year-old student who was selling sorrel in Kingstown on a school day.

Dahlia-ann Howard Lewis met this student, made a comment on social media, which was seen by Kenley “Shortmus” John, who asked the question, how can we help our young people to get an education? The birth of VincyCares!

Juno DeRoche (then customer service and retail manager at Coreas Hazells Inc – 2nd from left) hands over a cheque in Jan 2009 to representatives of VincyCares

John later rallied a voluntary group of individuals in the diaspora and legally formed VincyCares, Inc. with a Board of Directors, which manages the operations of the organization.

The first President of the organization, Kenley “Shortmus’ John with the assistance from friends in the diaspora and Gideon “Fessie” Yorke of Standard Shippers Inc. shipped the first barrel of school supplies in 2009 to the Sandy Bay Primary School, where the student attended. To date, VincyCares has distributed school supplies to every primary school in St Vincent and the Grenadines. The organization was subsequently led by Franklyn “Supadex” Richards from 2013 to 2017 and is currently being led by Gillian Arthur. Over the years the organization has grown in size to 16 Board members and over 5000 social media group members.

VincyCares donated the first secondary school scholarship in 2010 to Victoria, the child who inspired the organization, with funds donated by the Board of Directors. From its inception to present, the organization has awarded scholarships to 28 students, with a value of over US $70,000.

Currently there are 19 secondary school scholarship recipients attending the St Joseph’s Convent Kingstown, St Vincent Girls’ High School and St Vincent Grammar School. These scholarships were funded by VincyCares through various fundraising events and by donors around the world. The organization has benefited tremendously from the generosity of over 15 scholarship donors who give back to their community, their primary and secondary schools.

In addition, in 2018, VincyCares received a donation/pledge from Coreas Hazells Inc. to assist in the education and development of a student to attend secondary school. In 2019 the first Coreas Hazells scholarship was awarded to a student from the Marriaqua Government School to attend the St Vincent Grammar School.

VincyCares has partnered with other groups and organizations in the Diaspora to assist students in St Vincent and the Grenadines and in times of disaster, at home and in the Caribbean. In the foreseeable future VincyCares plans to assist with scholarships to The St Vincent and the Grenadines Community College, and to students wishing to pursue a University Degree.

VincyCares will celebrate its 10th Anniversary with a Gala Luncheon on December 8, 2019 at Glen Terrace, 5313 Avenue N, Brooklyn, NY. under the theme “Together We Can”!