Jarrett

With just days to go before the annual treat for children living with and affected by HIV and AIDS, Stacy-Ann Jarrett, executive director of the Jamaica AIDS Support for Life (JASL), is hoping that more people will come on board to assist the cause.

She said last year's treat was not as effective as previous years', because of the spin-off effects of the global economic crisis.

"Last year was quite painful because we didn't get as much as (we wanted)," Jarrett revealed.

Entertainment package

However, she told The Gleaner that the Tax Administration Services Department and RBTT Bank have already thrown their support behind the treat, which will be held on Friday.

She said boxes were placed at several businesses in a bid to collect toys and other gifts for the event. Items such as books and canned food can also be left at any JASL office in Montego Bay, Kingston or Ocho Rios.

The objective of the treat is to make the children feel loved and wanted, Jarrett told The Gleaner. She said the children would be treated to an entertainment package.

Other activities include games and dance competitions. There will also be a bounce-about on hand, and Santa Claus will make an appearance.

To top things off, parents who attend the function will also be occupied.

"We will be having a parenting session going on while the kids' treat is going on. We will do talks, processing how they deal with having a child who is HIV-positive, because the kids have some emotional issues," said Jarrett.

Provide assistance

She said some of the children were not aware they were HIV-positive, and caregivers had to approach the issue with sensitivity. Other partners have been approached to assist in counselling on Friday, but Jarrett said confirmations were still outstanding.

Though the treat is staged annually, the executive director revealed JASL sought to provide assistance for children living with and affected by HIV and AIDS all year round.

"We try to raise funds through the entire year to sustain our programmes with kids, help them to go back to school, lunch money, uniform books and school shoes," she said.

Jarrett said it was not too late to come forward and make donations.

"We'll always find use for anything at all that you can find," declared Jarrett.

kimesha.walters@gleanerjm.com

For further information on how to donate to the treat, call the Kingston branch of JASL at 978-2345; Ocho Rios, 974-7236; or the Montego Bay location, 952-9817.