Caribbean Gives! Makes First Investments in Caribbean Women Facing Domestic Violence in Philadelphia Area

Caribbean Gives! recently made its first investments in the Philadelphia area assisting three Caribbean women and their families who had been facing domestic violence. Caribbean Gives! was founded by the Consulate of Jamaica in Philadelphia with assistance from New Testament Church of God and Jalawelo. The mission of Caribbean Gives! Is to provide emergency financial and other support for Caribbean women and their families facing domestic violence and homelessness challenges in the Philadelphia metropolitan area. Caribbean Gives! Management Committee includes Dionne Poyser of New Testament Church of God; Barbara Wilson, President of Caribbean Festival & Cultural Organization of PA; Helen-May Bady, President of the Antigua and Barbuda Association of Pennsylvania, and Teresa Browne-Parris, President of the St. Kitts Nevis Tri-State Association.

Commenting on the first investments, Jamaica’s Honorary Consul to Philadelphia, Christopher Chaplin said that these first investments in the future of Caribbean families in the Philadelphia area represented a collaboration with several organizations including AFAHO and Africom as well as the contributions and support of several people.

The families helped by Caribbean Gives! first investments include:

Ms. A.N.  from Jamaica, a 35-year-old woman going through domestic violence and trauma with her American husband who is supposed to help her with immigration-related documentation and, as a consequence, she is hesitant to leave or get a divorce. They have one child who is showing signs of distress due to the situation at home with her parents.

 Ms. A.S. is a 32-year-old woman from Guyana who contacted AFAHO because she was referred by Catholic social services. Her husband has recently started to physically abuse her including strangling and kicking, even doing so in front of their daughter. 

Ms. B.W. is a 39 year- old woman from St Vincent and The Grenadines who was referred to AFAHO by HIASPA. She moved to the U.S. to escape violence from her husband but he is still able to find her here and harass her via phone calls and threatens her mother back in St. Vincent.

Caribbean Gives! relies on support from the community and tax-deductible donations can be made at www.caribbeangives.com.