HUNDREDS of Lindeners, particularly those residing in the Wisroc and neighbouring Wismar communities, on Wednesday, benefited from a massive charitable exercise hosted by the Atlanta-based humanitarian organisation, Caring for Others (CFO). The event took place at the Wisroc ball ground and about two thousand people gathered and joined in long queues before receiving shoes and food items.

Founder and President of CFO, Miss Eslene Shockley, related that the exercise is part of the organisation’s 20th Anniversary celebrations being held under the theme, “No Bare Soles”. Twenty thousand shoes across the world are being distributed in communities in need and Linden was chosen as one of the locations to distribute 2500 shoes.

Senior citizens, males, females, teenagers and children received brand new, high end shoes and food hampers. Shockley said that Linden is close the CFO’s heart since her father worked in the mining town and her older sister was born in Linden. “Linden has been very good to our family and Linden has been one of the poorest cities in Guyana and poverty is very, very exposed here and we want to give back…,” she said.

Gracing the event with their presence were Minister within the Ministry of Natural Resources Simona Broomes and Minister within the Ministry of Public Infrastructure Annette Ferguson. In brief remarks, they both thanked CFO for the good humanitarian services rendered to Linden over the last three years.

CFO has been responsible for several donations and distributions of food, clothing, toys, farming supplies and other items in Linden. Executive member of the Guyana Chapter,

Member of Parliament, Jermaine Figueira, said that he is happy that an organisation of such magnitude and worldwide connections has decided to play a role in alleviating poverty in Linden. “I am very much elated that residents of Region 10 have been benefiting, the CFO has been contributing to the Linden community and other parts of Region 10.”

According to Figueira, he is also appreciative of the millions of dollars Miss Eslene Shockley has been contributing to the Linden community “by giving high-end, new stuff to the people. She believes in a hands-up approach in helping people and basically giving a voice to the faces of poverty,” he said.