Lifeline hands over $32,898 in donations
What do Special Olympics Belize, St. Stevens School in Monkey River and Living Hope Preparatory School have in common? Well as of today, they are all recipients of financial assistance from the Lifeline Foundation. At an afternoon ceremony at the Radisson, Lifeline presented more than thirty-two thousand dollars—proceeds from their annual Black and White Gala— to the three organizations but Living Hope Preparatory School hit the jackpot twice when they received an additional six thousand dollars from private donors. News Five spoke to Kim Simplis Barrow of Lifeline about today’s donations and the organization’s selection process.
Kim Simplis Barrow, Founder, Lifeline Foundation
“Living Hope Preparatory School, which focuses on children that have failed the PSE and want a second chance or just delinquent kids who are really interested in getting a second chance and St. Stevens school in Monkey River, which is a school you hardly hear about. It’s all the way down south and the conditions for them to get to school; they have to go by river. So it’s commendable that these kids are in school and are going to school and they needed a feeding program so we decided to help them out. And Special Olympics Belize of course, they focus on providing a tool through sports for kids with intellectual disabilities.”
Christine Vellos, Board of Director, Living Hope Preparatory School
“Well, we are exceedingly gratified, very grateful indeed for all that has been given to the school. Actually it is a little overwhelming to get the additional gift that was presented today.”
Natalie Bowen, Principal, Living Hope Preparatory School
“The funds will be used for the computer lab in purchasing computers and printers for the computer lab so that students who are slow learners will be able to get on the computer and it will assist them in learning how to read and for others, it will help them as a resource area where they can learn to do research and be able to get information online.”
Allan Auil, Chairman, Special Olympics Belize
“Our specialty, I guess, is training the children and arranging and coordinating sporting activities for the kids. And to have an organization like Lifeline, with the assistance of the First Lady, help to raise funds and donate to us, it is very much appreciated. We need to invest in sporting equipment so that we can have football and basketball and volleyball going on throughout the country. Our organization is not just in Belize City but it’s countrywide.”
The next fundraiser for Lifeline is a Mexican themed party, which comes up in November.
