5K Run/Walk to assist children with special needs

Minister of Labour and Social Security Pearnel Charles Jr is appealing to members of the public to support the Good Samaritan 5K Run/Walk, geared at raising funds to procure a bus to support children with special needs.

The bus, valued at over $6 million, will be used to transport Community-Based Rehabilitation Jamaica (CBRJ) staff as they visit various communities to provide services for special needs children and their families. Speaking at the recent media launch of the 5K event at CBRJ’s offices in Spanish Town, St Catherine, Charles said that, by empowering organisations like CBRJ, children with special needs get an opportunity to access resources that can help them to thrive. The CBRJ is a non-governmental community-based organisation that provides early-childhood education and therapeutic intervention for more than 600 students with disabilities in five centres across three parishes.

“Our goal must be to create more avenues for access to education, therapy, access to healthcare, access to opportunity, to dignity, to independence. It's about moving the barriers that we have created so people can get an opportunity to do what they can do,” he added.

Charles lauded the work of both Good Samaritan and CBRJ in providing critical support to disadvantaged children, adding that their efforts serve as a living example of the principles that underpin our Christian society and the belief that all people are children of God. Charles said plans are also being put in place to help parents with disabled children with capacity training to develop coping skills and strategies.

“We're starting out with 250 parents and caregivers to train them in the care and development of their children with disabilities. We're also going to enhance specialised support by engaging specialised personnel, and we're getting some support from overseas to help with that,” he said.

Project Manager of CBRJ, Sandrea Long White, said that the bus is a critical resource for conducting outreach exercises. She noted that not having a vehicle for the past three years has negatively impacted the organisation’s ability to reach children within the various communities.

The 5K Run/Walk will he held on Sunday, August 30 at 29 Hope Road starting at 6 a.m. Persons interested in participating can register by visiting https://my.raceresult.com/362610/.