Community News
Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation honours Jamaican Canadian Icon Denise Jones
BY MICHAEL THOMAS
Sadly, Canada’s entertainment industry lost a giant in the person of Denise Jones of “Jones and Jones Entertainment” who passed away on December 3rd, 2020 after a battle with cancer.
Jones was not only a promoter of musical talent but she wore many hats and one of them was a founding board member to her beloved Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation that was based in her home parish of Portland Jamaica where she grew up.
As a result of this devastating news, HHJF has chosen to dedicate the money raised during their “Lend a Helping Hand” capital campaign to construct the Goodwill Early Childhood Learning Center in Portland Jamaica, where Denise Jones grew up, in her memory to commemorate her incredible spirit and dedication.
Once complete, the Center will create a lasting and meaningful legacy of Denise Jones, where she grew up and carry on her vision of eliminating the barriers to education for children
Toronto Caribbean Newspaper spoke with Natasha Borota whose company (The It Factor) manages the administration of the HHJF and has known Denise Jones for the better part of a decade about her drive, determination and how her legacy continues to stand tall.
Borota told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper, “She was a champion for education for the children of Jamaica. She was always thinking outside of the box, to bring people on board, to spread the word. She gave opportunity to people in the music industry from Jamaica who came to Canada.”
“She drove me to be better,” Borota said. “She tested me always and that definitely made me better at what I do.”
Borota told Toronto Caribbean Newspaper the school in honour of Jones, would be ready to accommodate children in the fall of 2021. “This school is our 24th school. We provide access to education in a safe place for learning. A lot of the schools that we build are in areas where the schools are not equipped for learning. Sometimes they might not have running water, no lunchroom, no rooms for professors, no washroom facilities or a safe playground, so we actually add all of those things on every one of our school builds.”
Borota said that the schools also serve the communities in more ways than one. “The schools can be a community gathering place for elders if they have community projects and allocate food. We are open to those things to make sure that there are strong communities.”
The foundation which has been around for over fifteen years now specializes in lending a helping hand to the disenfranchised communities and children of Jamaica. “Ninety to ninety-five per cent of the money raised by Helping Hands Jamaica Foundation in Canada goes directly to the community in Jamaica.
Every one of the people on the board are volunteers as was Denise Jones. We execute a few events during the year in order to raise funds to do these projects,” Borota explains.
“We have had people come on our volunteer bills from the UK, France and the U.S.A, It is important to have people here in Canada knowing what we are doing in Jamaica and every dollar counts.”
When asked how Jones would be remembered? Borota answered, “Everything that she has done has facilitated things ongoing. I feel that through her spirit her work will continue and I just think that her blessings will continue to be upon us.”