Adopt A Child

This Program targets students finishing upper elementary and entering high school and each selected student would be sponsored over a five year term.

1. Planned Giving - A sponsor may choose to make

a) a full-term contribution ($600x5= $3000) to sponsor a child. The sponsor must guarantee this amount. The sponsor would then be identified with the child that is selected to receive this funding. The named sponsor will be given continuous update on the progress of the child.

b) Partial contribution (amount of choice) to the fund. When the (Education Committee of the) Association has accumulated a sufficient quantity of funds ($3000) from a variety of sponsors, then a child would be identified for sponsorship.

c) Where there are several sponsors

1. If less than 7 sponsors, the names of the sponsors would be associated with that child.

2. If 7 or more sponsors, the money collected would be put in the "Adopt-A-Child" program fund and tagged for sponsorship.

2. The SVGAT is committed to sponsoring a child. The Association may derive the funds through designated fundraising drives :

i. The Education Committee of the Association may sponsor raffles, draws etc. for this specific purpose.

ii. Seeking sponsors who will fully or partially sponsor a child.

iii. By using funds from the general account, if necessary

How are the children chosen?

Students will be chosen in an order based on the following:

A. Schools would be grouped in the following regions:

1. District 1 & 4 (10 schools)

a. Fancy, Owia, Sandy Bay, Tourama, Greggs, Lauders, Lowmans Windward Anglican, New Prospect Primary, Biabou Methodist, Argyle Primary

2. District 2 & 3 (9 schools)

a. Langley Park, South Rivers, Georgetown, Dickson Methodist, Pamelus Burke, Park Hill, Diamond, Colonarie, New Grounds.

3. District 5 & 7 (11 schools)

a. Cane End, Evesham, Marriaqua, Richland Park, Kingstown Preparatory, Kingstown Anglican, Kingstown Government, Lodge Village, Dorsetshire Hill, C. W. Prescod , St. Mary's Roman Catholic.

4. District 6 (9 schools)

a. Brighton Methodist, Stubbs Government, Calliaqua Anglican, Sion Hill, Gomea Methodist, Belmont, Belair, Fairhall, Calder.

5. District 8 & 10 (10 schools)

a. Questelles, Clare Valley, Lowmans Leeward, Buccament, Spring Village Methodist, West Wood Methodist, Troumaca Government, Rose Hall Government, Chateaubelair Methodist, Fitz Hughes Government.

6. District 9 & 11 (11 schools)

a. Bequia Anglican, Paget Farm, Paradise Primary, Mayreau, Mustique, Canouan, Stephanie Browne, Mary Hutchinson. Layou, Barrouallie Anglican, Barrouallie Government.

B. A draw would be made to select one of the regions for sponsorship.

C. Where a school in a region has been chosen, that region would be excluded for the next five draws.

D. Where a school is chosen in a specific District, that school would not be included in another draw for that region until all of the other schools have been drawn.

E. Please note that, where a perspective individual donor is interested in sponsoring a child from a given region such accommodation will be made.

2. Roles and Responsibilities

i. When the school is selected, the principal will form a committee who will select the student.

ii. The student must be selected before the end of the school year.

iii. This committee will subsequently monitor the progress of the child.

iv. The Committee will name two persons as trustees to liaise with the child and parent as well as with the Association

v. The Principal would be responsible for the disbursement of the funds to the parents/guardian of the child.

1. The parents/guardian would receive $300Cdn before the end of August and the remaining $300 Cdn in January each year.

2. January payments would be made only where the students have met expectations.

3. The sponsorship will be renewed for each of the next four years only upon demonstrated successful completion of the previous school year. Should the student elect to discontinue his/her education or should his/her marks/attendance fall below set criteria, the scholarship award may be forfeited.

vi. Trustees would be responsible to ensure that every effort is made to rectify any difficulties that the student is experiencing before any support is withdrawn. This may include assigning a mentor to the student and parents

vii. Trustees must send a copy of the progress report to the Association at the end of each school term.

viii. Students must attend school regularly at least 96% of the time except when reasonable excuses are provided. ( i.e.) maximum of 3 days per year missed not due to illness).

ix. Students must achieve an average of 70% or better each term.

x. The Association must provide continuous update about the progress of the child to the sponsor(s). Any child-initiated contact with sponsors must be through the Association.

Evaluating the Program

A reporting/evaluation form has been designed to be completed by the trustees, school and parent(s) twice a year. This report evaluation is sent to the Association and copied to the Ministry of Education in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

How can I become a sponsor?

Please contact any member of the Education Committee or of the Executive of the Association to indicate your willingness to sponsor a child.

“A young mind is a terrible thing to waste.”

By helping to develop a young mind you are investing in the future of your country. Please help someone who is less fortunate and at the same time help your homeland, SVG.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines Association of Toronto Inc.
P.O. Box 80066, Don Valley Village P. O., Toronto, Ontario, M2J 0A1

 

Adopt-A-Child Program

The St. Vincent and Grenadines Association of Toronto inaugurated the Adopt- A-Child Program in 2008 by sponsoring one student each from the Spring Village Methodist School and the Evesham Government School. In 2013 another two children, one each from the Tourama/Overland Government School and Fairhall Government School became the second set. The purpose of the program is to provide financial relief to the students to assist them through their years at primary school as it is felt that a number of students fall through the cracks and do not perform well at this age if they do not get the assistance with food, clothing and books.

Each student is sponsored for five (5) years at Cdn$50.00/month or $3,000.00 in total. A local committee including the principal of the school along with two community personnel oversee the distribution of the funds to the student and monitor the welfare of the student to see that he or she attends school and performs adequately.

On November 15, Gideon Exeter, President and Ewan Odel Lewis, a retired Board Member of the SVGAT visited both students at their respective schools in Fairhall and Overland to make the presentation of funds for the final school year.

Student Fredique John and Odel Ewan Lewis

Fredique’s mother -  Ms. John, Fredique, Odel Lewis, Gideon Exeter, Principal Mrs. Morgan-Peters

According to reports received from both schools the students are doing extremely well and the principals credit the financial assistance that they are receiving for their performance.

Sehrrian Baptiste

Gideon Exeter, Principal Moses Stay, Odel Lewis, Sehrrian, her mother and sister

The Association is hopeful that it will be possible to sponsor other children for the next five (5) years starting from the 2018/2019 school year. If you would like to help in sponsoring a child either for the whole amount or a partial amount, please contact any member of the board.

School For Children With Special Needs

In August 2017 the SVGAT coordinated its third annual Toronto Harbour Boat Cruise in conjunction with the Toronto SVG Support Group and it was determined that a portion of the proceeds will be donated to the School for Children with Special Needs in Kingstown. On November 10 E. Bernard John and Gideon Exeter representing the two organizations visited the school and presented a cheque in the amount of Cdn$2,400.00. The school and students expressed their gratitude for the contribution and wondered if the groups could help them organize a similar fundraiser in SVG.

L – R:  Nichole Exeter, Gideon Exeter, students of the school in yellow shirts, Mrs. Samuel of the SFCWSN, E.B. John