About Community and Learning Centres
There are six community and youth development centres with a variety of after-school and other community programmes, which are open to residents in the Anguilla community.
Three of the centres – Island Harbour Care Centre (Ms Kareen Harrigan, Centre Manager), Pond Ground Care Centre (Ms Jay Browne, Centre Manager) and Eleos Centre Family Support Ministry (Ms Angelina Carty, Centre Manager) – are independently financed through individual donors/supporters and organisations such as the Methodist Church. The other three centres – Blowing Point Youth Development Centre (Ms Jemima Romney, Centre Manager), HOPE Community Centre (Ms Josette Duncan, Centre Manager) and West End Community Centre (Ms Kerniel (Connie) Chung, Centre Manager) are sponsored by the Government of Anguilla under the Ministry of Social Development through the Department of Youth and Culture (DYC). Currently five of them are operating as much as possible on a normal basis following Hurricane Irma. However, two of the Centres – Island Harbour and Pond Ground – are utilising the same building due to destruction to the facility in East End.
In addition, there are two privately operated, non-profit, educational learning centres – Branches of Learning (Ms Njeri Richardson Carty, Educator and Business Owner/Founder) and Comprehensive Learning Centre (Ms Sandra York Gumbs, Managing Director and Founder) – which support and promote innovative and forward thinking educational initiatives and solutions for students, parents and teachers in Anguilla.
All of these centres are very much in need of resources like computers, printers and ink, paper, pencils and pens, books, board games, sports equipment, as well as volunteers to assist with the students. Additional support to the centres is offered through DYC’s programmes such as Get Set, Job Link Up and Youth Exposure. To make a donation and/or volunteer, please contact the Centre Managers directly or Youth and Culture Staff on telephone 1 264 497 3792 or link via social media at www.facebook.com/DYCAnguilla.
About Blanchards Fundraising
The Blanchards Anguilla Children’s Fund (BACF) is dedicated to enriching the quality of life for the children of Anguilla. BACF is a recognised not-for-profit Anguilla company and also a US non-profit 501(c)3 organisation founded in 2006. All contributions made to BACF are tax deductible and donors are sent an acknowledgement letter for tax filing purposes.
Blanchards Hurricane Fund donates 100% of the monies received to the people of Anguilla to repair and rebuild the island, so people can get back as soon as possible to living the life they know. To date, funding upwards of US$712,000 has been raised.
For further information, and to make donations to BACF and BHF, visit the website www.blanchardsrestaurant.com. Click on the Donate Now link.
Upcoming Community Connections
Be prepared for another Communities Come Together from Afar connection. A group of Howard University Students, from Washington, DC, are preparing to visit Anguilla from the 10th to 17th March 2018. They will be participating in Howard University’s Alternative Spring Break (HUASB) program coordinated through the Office of the Dean of the Andrew Rankin Memorial Chapel. HUASB is a service learning programme that involves students in meaningful service projects which connect them to the significance of their education, and prepares them to be servant leaders for the nation and the world.
According to Howard University’s President, Dr Wayne A. I. Frederick, who is from Trinidad, the ASB (Alternative Spring Break) 2018 programmes will connect Howard students with communities in hurricane impacted countries, including Anguilla, Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas and Sint Maarten. HUASB seeks to assist in the restoration of Anguilla by combatting violence through youth empowerment. During the week-long service trip, the Howard University Alternative Spring Break volunteers will serve in various educational and social development settings. Visit the website https://chapel.howard.edu/HUASB to learn more about HUASB.
