From left: Michelle Williamson, vice-president of Jamaican Women of Florida; Yvette Mahoney, operations manager; Aisha Rainford, president of Jamaican Women of Florida; Christine Dexter, co-founder of Montego Bay Community Home for Girls; Ann-Marie Goffe-Pryce, general manager, S Hotel, Montego Bay; and Mickey Morris (right), co-founder of Montego Bay Community Home for Girls, share in the $1-million donation towards building a transitional facility for the girls.
The Montego Bay Community Home for Girls, located in Irwin, St James, received a significant boost on Friday with a $1-million donation from S Hotel to initiate the construction of a transitional facility to support wards as they age out of the home.
Known as the Melody House Girls Home, the Montego Bay Community Home for Girls held a groundbreaking ceremony to mark the start of construction. The project is supported by the Jamaican Women of Florida (JWOF) charity, which has a long history of aiding the home.
Ann-Marie Goffe-Pryce, general manager at S Hotel Montego Bay, expressed hope that the donation would further the home’s mission of offering a sanctuary for young women and girls.
“Our donation of $1 million toward the Montego Bay Community Home for Girls construction is a testament to our faith in its mission. For the first time in Montego Bay, young ladies who are wards of the state and are now 18 will have a much-needed transition home that provides the support they need to achieve full independence before stepping out on their own,” Goffe-Pryce said.
“We believe in the potential of every girl who will walk through the doors of this facility. This project is about more than building a structure; it’s about building hope, resilience, and opportunities for these deserving young women. We are empowering girls to overcome adversity and thrive,” she added.
Christine Dexter, one of the founders of Melody House, extended her gratitude to all stakeholders who have supported the facility, which was established in 1978 to help girls aged 12 to 17 who face abuse, abandonment, or hardships in their homes.
“I want to say a big thank you to JWOF and everyone who has supported us over the years. Without your help, we couldn’t continue this mission,” Dexter said.
Empower women, girls
Melody House, a non-profit organisation, can accommodate up to 25 girls for stays of six to 18 months. The home serves young women up to age 18, at which point they are expected to transition to independent living.
JWOF President Aisha Rainford, whose organisation recently donated US$12,500 toward the construction, shared that her group views themselves as maternal figures to the girls.
“At JWOF, our mission is to empower women and girls through education, mentorship, and community service. Our key initiatives include supporting the Montego Bay Community Home for Girls. We provide the girls with mentorship, workshops, and life-skills training,” Rainford said.
“To us, the girls at Melody House are our nieces, and we are their aunties. Inside these walls, the girls are nurtured, empowered, and surrounded by people who see their potential.”