The Tribune

By EARYEL BOWLEG

Tribune Staff Reporter

ebowleg@tribunemedia.net

LOCAL advocacy group Families of All Murder Victims expects to feed 500 people today during a giveback event in observance of the festive season.

The event will be held at FOAM’s Alexandria Boulevard headquarters starting at 1pm.

Khandi Gibson, founder and president, said the event is especially important for those who have suffered loss or have had a particularly hard time during the pandemic.

“It’s very important,” she told The Tribune.

“You know during this time school (is) closed. Some kids (are) depending on a lunch programme for them to eat. We also have some persons who lost their job. They don’t know where their next meal (is) coming from.

“Also, during this time persons can’t afford to buy any clothing or anything for their kids.

“For some children, this is their first without a mom or a dad and some kids this is their first Christmas without both parents.

“We want to reunite to get to see persons who you have never seen before. For murder victims and other persons who would have lost loved ones. So, like I said, it’s a connection/reconnection. It’s reuniting and uniting.”

Ms Gibson said the event will include toys for the children along with new and used items of clothing for the entire family among other things.

“We’re going to be having surprises. We’re going to be giving hot dogs, sodas chip, snacks for the kids. We’re going to have a full meal for the adults.

“Persons who are going to be driving by, they can stop and get a plate of food. We have persons on the outside to give them food as they drive by in a car.

“We’ll have a bouncy castle. We’re going to have music. We’re going to have special a guest, DJ Counsellor (and) Christian Massive,” Ms Gibson said.

The theme this year is uniting and rebuilding the family.

Ms Gibson noted that the donations coming in were “pretty good”.

“I actually had a lot of persons who heard I was having the event who I never really knew existed actually reach out to me to a part of this event,” she said.