APPROXIMATELY 1500 persons benefited from the generosity of Food for the Poor (FFTP) when that charitable organization distributed a series of items at its Complex in Festival City, North Ruimveldt, Georgetown. According to FFTP Executive Director Mr. Leon Davis, the donation is part of the organization’s role in spreading Christmas cheer to the less fortunate.
He explained, “This distribution is a timely one as it pertains to the season. It is something very useful to the people. We started a public distribution at the early stages with the intention of helping the poorest of the poor around the area, who might not belong to an organization or a church or a group.”
Davis pointed out that the initiative was started some 15 years ago when FFTP established its headquarters in the area. And the initiative was aimed at extending generosity to residents nearby.
“We had set out first just to deal with nearby residents; but what we have noticed is that (this initiative) has grown in size, and there are persons coming from all parts of Georgetown and its environs. We can’t send them away! We had to increase on the number of items we had for distribution.”
Some years, the crowd includes close to two thousand persons, he added.
In this regard, he extended gratitude to the overseas donors who make the yearly event possible, and also to the local companies that make generous contributions.
Davis also took the opportunity to encourage more businesses and kind-hearted individuals to make their contribution and help to spread Christmas cheer to even more persons in the years to come.
He also extended his appreciation to the members of the Guyana Police Force for their cooperation, over the years, in helping to maintain order at the events.
The items distributed yesterday included clothes, shoes, books and medicines.
FFTP also has a series of other events planned during this period, in keeping with its mandate to help the poor and less fortunate in Guyana.