CBFF Helps JSSE St Vincent Emergency Response

KINGSTON, JAMAICA: The Jamaica Social Stock Exchange got a major boost to its Stronger Together Campaign with a donation from the C. B. Facey Foundation (CBFF).

The Foundation handed over the $1,000,000 donation on Wednesday, June 2, 2021. It will go to the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean State Emergency Response for St Vincent and the Grenadines.

“PanJam [Investment Limited] is the first to respond and donate towards the St. Vincent and The Grenadines Relief Operation. We are very grateful to the PanJam Group for participating and we hope that the initiative by PanJam to support our Eastern Caribbean neighbours will encourage other local and regional entities to support the relief effort,” revealed Andre Gooden, Group Business Development manager at the Jamaica Stock Exchange.

Answering the need was an easy ‘yes’ for the CBFF.

“As the charitable arm of a company with regional ties, it is important that we make an effort to meet the needs not only in Jamaica, but also support our neighbouring islands,” said Anna Ward, executive director of CBFF.

“We are pleased to be a part of the JSSE efforts to help with relief in St Vincent and the Grenadines. With the recent volcanic eruption, and the devastation it left behind, we wanted to get involved as best we could. We know that when we work with the JSSE, our efforts are going directly to those who are most in need,” Ward said at the handover.

Gooden added: “The citizens are in a bad [situation] and basic human necessities are a challenge now for a lot of the people who were made homeless and lost employment.”

Social Needs

“The Eastern Caribbean Stock Exchange reached out to us through the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States, and as a member of the CARICOM community. They asked us if we could appeal in Jamaica — to the 200,000 JCSD (Jamaica Central Securities Depository Limited) that are registered on the JSE — to support the fundraising initiative for the people of St. Vincent and The Grenadines,” he explained.

The Jamaica Social Stock Exchange (JSSE) is the newest subsidiary of the Jamaica Stock Exchange group of companies, which was conceptualised to facilitate the social sector, and in a similar way to be able to garner resources for social enterprises and social organisations.

Nora Blake, Manager of the JSSE said its non-profits market is a sophisticated crowdfunding platform, which has applied the principles of business from the stock exchange to the social sector.

“Even though it’s not for profit, there is a high level of accountability, transparency, and the absolute need for integrity to be brought to the social sector. We can encourage confidence for people who donate.

“Since we launched and started operating in 2019, and based on what is happening now, the need is even more. What the Cecil Boswell Facey Foundation has donated to, is a response to an immediate need,” explained Blake.

Individuals can donate by going to www.jsseja.com.

Anna Ward (left), executive director of the C. B. Facey Foundation presents the $1,000,000 cheque to Andre Gooden (centre), Group Business Development Manager at the Jamaica Stock Exchange and Nora Blake, Manager of the Jamaica Social Stock Exchange for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean State Emergency Response for St Vincent and the Grenadines.