The Tribune

By LEANDRA ROLLE

Tribune Staff Reporter

lrolle@tribunemedia.net

A local non-profit organisation is distributing care packages to young mothers in need of essential items to care for their children.

Felicia Carey, founder of Teen Life Skills Services, said after seeing a great need within local communities due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she knew she had to lend a helping hand to young vulnerable mothers during this difficult time.

“Based on our observation from the lockdown and how persons were responding to the lockdown and the lack of needs, we saw it was beneficial for us to go into action and to provide some (things) to those young mothers who may be facing some challenges,” she said.

“And we understand the challenges of intimate partner violence, depression, anxiety and a lot of the young mothers don’t know where the next dollar is coming from to provide for them and not only themselves, but their children.”

Having partnered with several charities in the country, Ms Carey said her group was able to distribute 15 packages to young mothers, aged 16 to 21.

“So, we partnered with FOAM and Women United and today (Wednesday) was the first day we distributed packages… and we distributed 15 care packages today to mothers, young mothers who are having challenges during this COVID-19 period,” she told The Tribune.

“We gave out diapers, wipes, hygiene packages along with groceries and baby milk. And the highlight of it all was we also had a Creole interpreter for those mothers of Haitian descent because we are here to serve all the communities, especially those communities that are marginalised.

“And we also have an on-site counsellor where we found that a lot of the women are facing anxiety issues and/or facing depression because they are in stressful situations.”

Further care package distribution will depend on if another lockdown is put in place during the week, she said.

In the meantime, Ms Carey said the group will be offering therapy sessions to help people cope with the pandemic.

She said: “So, what we did for the five-day lockdown, we offered a call-in counselling session. It could be young mothers or fathers who are facing some anxiety issues or just want a listening ear.

“We had a hotline number (431-6986) where they could’ve contacted us and we could’ve just listened to them. However, if they were endangering themselves or others, we also referred them to our other partners such as the Crisis Centre, FOAM and (Department of) Social Services.”

“… That is ongoing.”

To further the efforts of TLS, Ms Carey appealed to the public to donate diapers, pull-ups, wipes and milk.

For more information, visit the organization’s Facebook page (Teen Life Skills Services) or contact them via email at teenlifeskills242@gmail.com