S.S.B. donates to St. John?s Primary…

The staff and students of St. John’s Primary were smiling today, thanks to a generous donation from the Social Security Board. As part of its twenty-fifth anniversary, the Belize City branch office of the S.S.B. decided to make an investment in the nation’s future leaders by assisting the school’s feeding programme. News Five’s Kendra Griffith has more.

Beulah Flowers, Administrator, S.S.B.
?We decided to give back to the community in a more memorable and meaningful way. And this was one of the ways that was decided on.?

Kendra Griffith, Reporting
?What does the donation entail??

Beulah Flowers
?It entails refurbishing the entire feeding area. We did over the kitchen, the entire kitchen. If you can see, the feeding area where the children sit was also refurbished and apart from that the staff donated food over the last month and that was donated to the feeding programme as well.?

According to teacher and member of the school?s feeding programme committee, Michelle Williams, the donation couldn?t have come at a better time.

Michelle Williams, Teacher/Member, Feeding Prog. Committee
?We were in dire need of funds to buy the equipment that Social Security gave us. So this will help us now to continue and maybe the business community will help us as they saw what Social Security had done for us.?

St. John?s Primary feeds approximately seventy children a day at a basic cost of two dollars a day … hardly enough to cover its expenses.

Michelle Williams
?For the week, I believe it would be like three to four hundred dollars buying the food items and then paying the cook.?

Kendra Griffith
?And you all are usually able to meet that??

Michelle Williams
?No, many times we have to go to our principals and borrow the money and then fundraise. In the other week do a big dinner or something like that to make back our funds, because we have parents who have children that credit food and don?t pay for it. And although they credit, we still have to feed them everyday because a midday meal is very important.?

In addition to the refurbishment, the S.S.B. donation also included lockers, a refrigerator, stove, and eating utensils. Kendra Griffith reporting for News Five.

St. John’s Primary currently has four hundred and sixty children enrolled from infant one through standard six.