Mrs. Gloria Smith-Meredith, BSc, JP, Columbia University, New York, USA, Beersheba Primary School Alumna, Founder of Children of Faith, Montego Bay, Saint James and Philanthropist, giving back to Beersheba Primary School her alma mater.
Mrs. Meredith realized at an early age that education is the only means that she could use to unshackle herself from poverty in the impoverished peasant farming district of Flint Valley, New Market, Saint Elizabeth where as one of several siblings, she was born to David Smith, butcher and his wife Doris, vendor at New Market Wednesday and Saturday Market.
Unlike other Alumni of Beersheba Primary School who have forgotten their humble beginning, moved by the impact of HIV-Aids on children whose parents are infected with the dreaded disease; Mrs. Meredith did not turn her back and walk away from these children. Conversely, she founded Children of Faith – a faith based nonprofit organization – by which she took these children in her care in her home at 7 Hart Street, Montego Bay, Saint James.
Mrs. Meredith who is well known and recognized locally and internationally for her philanthropic humanitarian work at Children of Faith, has been the recipient of the Governor General of Jamaica Award and several other Awards.
Cognizant that Self Actualization in Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Theory is by no means the zenith where she would rest on her laurels; Mrs. Meredith’s passion to help others was refreshed by Amati Etzioni’s Multiplicity of Goals Theory that propelled her to return to Beersheba Primary School her alma mater where she is currently offering her expertise to the administration at the school by focusing on truant deviant behavior and absenteeism affecting students at the school.
Mrs. Meredith who is not just a talker and someone who stands on the sideline and asks ”why don’t they do so and so,” but she gets involved and put her money where her mouth is and along with her own scarce financial resource, she has enlisted the support of Food For The Poor and other Philanthropic Organizations to provide materials for making school uniforms, note books etc for students who currently attend Beersheba Primary School as well as the class of 2017 that has graduated from the school and will attend high schools in September 2017.
As Beersheba Old Students Association (BOSA) previously recognized Mrs. Gloria Smith-Meredith as a Trailblazer and Achiever in a news article that was published online in one of its quarterly newsletter, the Association again wishes to laud and Big Up Mrs. Meredith for giving back to children in the impoverished peasant farming Beersheba Primary School Community.
It is the sincere wish of the Association that Beersheba Primary School Alumni – including those who are living in luxury in the Diaspora and are doing well financially – will emulate Mrs. Gloria Smith-Meredith and give back to Beersheba Primary School their alma mater that nurtured them and gave them a good start that has made them what they are today.
Great Job! Mrs Meredith