Community Outreach
Zinc Link |
Roots FM |
Christmas Treat |
Golden Agers |
Committed to providing not just for our children but uplifting the marginalized and forgotten of society as well, Mustard Seed Communities has involved itself in numerous outreach programs. Mustard Seed Communities builds a presence in communities by showing the local people how to look after their least fortunate.
Mustard Seed Communities will often involve itself in projects in a community to extend its philosophy on Caring - which is centered on children - to Sharing and Training. The Sharing and Training apostolates involve community members in other activities such as employment, construction of basic homes and taking care of the elderly. These projects are used as a way of providing services for people who would otherwise never receive them.
However as Mustard Seed Communities operates in ghetto communities that are torn apart by violence and poverty, it tries to impart its caring philosophy to the inhabitants.
By specifically targeting the most helpless in society and by training local people to care for these children Mustard Seed Communities strives to impart a sense of caring and responsibility. It is for this reason that Mustard Seed Communities do not just move into an area and build a children's home - that wouldn't work; the community would not be involved! The community has to be involved in building the home, furnishing it and eventually working in it as caregivers. The home then belongs to the community and the community derives a sense of pride and satisfaction knowing that it can now look after its own children with disabilities.
Zinc Link
Zinc Link is a community outreach program of Mustard Seed Communities focused on providing the community with a service to benefit them, tying together the caring, sharing, training model.
The mission of Zinc Link is to bring the power of the internet to the inner-city communities of Kingston through a series of low cost internet cafes.
On December 7th 2001, Mustard Seed Communities opened the first Internet Cafe to serve the residents of the inner city communities of Kingston, Jamaica. The following July, Zinc Link II was opened at North Street, Kingston by the Jamaican Minister for Commerce and Technology, Phillip Paulwell.
Following the success of these two facilities it was decided that an Internet café should be opened at each Mustard Seed location to serve both Mustard Seed staff and children and local inner city residents. There are presently four (4) Zinc Links in operation whilst a fifth is currently under construction at Widow's Mite in Murray Mount, St. Ann.
Each Zinc Link is operated as a small business and is staffed by local residents who are trained on the job. Services provided include CD based training courses, high speed (ADSL) internet access, printing, scanning and sale of floppy disks and CD disks.
Charges to customers are kept as low as possible - children are charged approx U$1.50 per hour and working adults U$2. Any surplus income generated is used to finance MSC's caring activities. The vast majority of customers are children in the 8 to 15 age range. The children have never used a computer before coming to the Zinc Link and generally start off by using the educational software before progressing to using the internet. All children are provided with a Hotmail address and are shown how to use e-mail.
Roots FM
About ROOTS
ROOTS FM is a community radio station owned and operated by the Mustard Seed Communities. Our mission is to assist in inner-city development by focusing on the unique challenges faced by community residents as they go about their daily lives. All our programming aims to empower, uplift and enrich the lives of our listeners by promoting knowledge, dialogue and entertainment that speak to their common realities and aspirations.
The Mission of ROOTS
ROOTS FM is dedicated to providing an effective, sustainable mass medium to serve poor, marginalized residents of communities. ROOTS' concerns with poverty alleviation and the equitable development of deprived communities are reflected in its provision of the means by which people can become informed about and participate in ongoing issues that affect their lives. ROOTS is committed to interactive programming, responsiveness to communities and the use of modern technologies.
Coverage
ROOTS FM broadcasts in Kingston, St. Andrew & St. Catherine on the 96.1FM frequency. Listeners are also situated on the fringes and slopes of St. Mary, Clarendon and St. Thomas. Our potential audience is approximately 700,000 listeners.
The Vision of ROOTS
ROOTS FM seeks to represent the best qualities and highest ideals of its listeners while becoming an effective, accessible, self-sustainable medium of communication for all residents of inner city communities. ROOTS FM's purpose is to inform, educate and heighten the awareness of listeners about themselves and the world around them and to provide an interactive and entertaining forum for expressing and exchanging opinions and ideas. We believe that the best sources of solutions are those who face the problems. ROOTS will create and maintain a strong, committed and informed team of professionals dedicated to fostering unity and peace within healthy and caring communities. ROOTS intends that every member of its family should be spiritually strong, confident and fully aware of his or her special mission as a Caregiver to listeners. Each staff member will endeavor to be fully informed about subjects discussed on radio, to treat their listeners and colleagues with honesty and humility and to take personal responsibility for their every action.
Program Policy
ROOTS works hard to exclude and eliminate all programs, lyrics, statements or suggestions that advocate or celebrate criminality; violent behavior disregard for the laws of Jamaica; disrespect for women; discrimination on grounds of race, color, or creed; drug abuse; lewdness.
How you can help ROOTS to serve the inner city
Advertising Agencies; Commercial Businesses and other National Enterprises
By spending some of your advertising dollars with ROOTS FM! We do not compete for a national audience, but check around the inner city and you'll be quickly convinced about ROOTS FM's following. It's strong and loyal. If you want to reach that audience with your sales message try us out!
Buy some spots on our flagship programs; sponsor segments or sponsor our coverage of sports and special events.
Businesses small and large within the inner city
Of course you would like to increase your sales! Large numbers of your present and future customers are ROOTS FM listeners. Reach them quickly and cheaply. Our rates are the most affordable you can find anywhere - deliberately - to assist inner city businesses. If you've never advertised on ROOTS, this is the best opportunity you will ever get to increase your customer base.
Corporate citizens and philanthropic organizations
We appeal to you to make pledges and donations (whether one time or at regular intervals) for the survival of ROOTS and its social mission. Your donations to Mustard Seed communities for the support of ROOTS will be tax exempt. Thank you for caring enough to help. For more information on Mustard Seed Communities Jamaica; Dominican Republic; Zimbabwe; USA please visit www.mustardseed.com.
Christmas Treat
Christmas Treat is an annual event in Jamaica. Mustard Seed Communities provides a hot meal and a present to over 2,000 people - in the poorest neighborhoods throughout Kingston. These families would probably otherwise be without a meal on Christmas.
While Mustard Seed is known for caring for children with HIV/AIDS and disabilities, part of our work includes several outreach programs like this one, to support the neighborhoods in and around where our apostolates are located.
MSC is grateful to the many groups that collect gently used stuffed animals and other toys for this event each year. Thank you!
Golden Agers
Almost 400 Golden Agers benefit from the services of the Outreach program. Sixty members of this program are totally housebound. Volunteers make five daily visits each week.
Those in need are provided with weekly food baskets. Their dwellings, if they have one, are cleaned and they are bathed by the Outreach worker if necessary.
Medical fees, optician fees and prescriptions are paid for by Mustard Seed. In extreme cases, clothing may also be handed out. Equipment to improve mobility, such as crutches and 'walkers' may also be provided.
Other services might include assistance in getting building materials such as a few sheets of zinc and some lumber to erect a basic dwelling. Beds and mattresses may also be provided, depending on the stock level in Mustard Seed's stores.
A savings program has also been initiated called the "Small Savings for Golden Agers".
