Left to right: Board Member Alegra Jennings and President of Family Support Network (FSN) Judith M. Charles receive the cheque valued $26,000.00 from Director of London Office Kedrick E. Malone. The liquid cash was handed over to the Family Support Network in December 2012 as there were emergency needs for funds to execute activities at the time. Photo: VINO

The funds were raised by FBVI through the London Office when it staged its annual funding raising event. Speaking at the presentation ceremony at the Premier’s Office, Mr. Malone said FBVI was delighted to have come to the aid of the organization at a time when it was most in need. He said the organisation has been performing its civic duty of serving the community and has been faced with the ever growing issues of abuse and domestic violence.

Mr. Malone has issued a call to all charity organisations to come forward with their areas of operations as they are looking at assisting other organisations in the future.

This was a fact that was further confirmed by President of the FSN Ms Judith M. Charles, who said that the organisation has assisted many in the past and that FSN is currently facing several challenges even as the incidents of domestic violence is getting greater. She noted that there has been a significant increase in the population of women and children visiting the organisation with desperate needs for food and clothing.

The Global Financial crisis has had a serious effect on the purse of the FSN and, according to Ms Charles, they lost all their employees sometime last year when funding was exhausted.  She said presently there are only two active members, herself and Board Member Ms. Alegra Jennings who are carrying the full load of the organization. “We have our full time job as well and so you can well imagine the strain but we have to do it because of the need that exists for our services,” said Ms Charles.

Portions of the funds have already been used to effect some very urgent projects and according to Charles they are doing their best to ensure that targeted beneficiaries get the services they need. She further stated that while FSN has been through “A Storm of Events” they will rise from the ashes and they are not regretting experiencing the challenges that they have faced since some key and valuable lessons have been learnt.

One thing she insists FSN will be doing is to insist that persons desirous of working with the organisation first start off on the foot of being a volunteer.