Scotia Foundation donates $10 million to back-to-school efforts

The Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation has mobilised the donation of approximately $10 million in book vouchers and school supplies for the incoming grade six cohort at 15 primary schools across the island.

The effort, which began on August 25, formed part of Scotiabank's 134th anniversary celebrations.

"Every year we prepare as an organisation to provide assistance to hundreds of families as they embark on the important milestone of preparing their children to transition to secondary education. As an organisation, we are keen supporting this important phase in the lives of these children, particularly because we understand the invaluable link between secondary level education and financial resilience in our communities," shared Yanique Forbes-Patrick, vice-president of public affairs & communications at Scotiabank.

Through the Scotia Foundation, four major back-to-school events were hosted, and donations of school supplies are being coordinated at 11 others by the bank's islandwide network of employee volunteers. Students who attended the events received a $5,000 book voucher, a backpack and a set of notebooks along with other tokens from Scotiabank.

Schools benefiting from the initiative are: Central Branch All-Age, St George's Girls' School, Calabar Infant and Primary School (Kingston); Independence City Primary (St Catherine); Boundbrook Primary (Portland); Morant Bay Primary (St Thomas); Hall's Delight Primary (St Andrew); Ballards Valley Primary (St Elizabeth); New Green Primary and Christiana Leased Primary (Manchester); Servite Primary and Steer Town Primary and Junior High (St Ann); Negril Primary (Westmoreland); Barrett Town Primary and Infant (St James); and Hague Primary (Trelawny).