Hope Seals Guyana provides charity in the form of food, clothing, monetary support, and medical outreach to the less fortunate. It is the brainchild of Sonia Hutson, a London-trained beauty specialist/entrepreneur, and Lester Hutson, a nutritionist/entrepreneur.
“Some four years ago, I read an article of a young single mother of three children who was killed in her sleep by her brother who had earlier raped his niece while the mother was out reaping wild cabbage to feed her family. Her son was also killed when he tried to save his mom. Her two daughters were left motherless and abandoned. This article really moved my wife, Sonia, and she asked what we can do to assist these children. We decided as a family to reach out to the children through the welfare office in Linden and Ms Beckles. Sonia always had a love for charity especially the children homes and occasionally the homes for the elderly, which inspired the start of Hope Seals,” Lester recalled in an interview with Sunday Times Magazine.
He added that the idea of putting together food items, clothing and money was quickly organised by himself and his wife and fellow business associates.
Hope Seals’ mandate is to support vulnerable families, single mothers and children. Every month for the last four years it has consistently given to 25 families in vulnerable communities millions of dollars in donations and has partnered with HAP (a US humanitarian assistance programme) and its New York Chapter. HAP has supplied footwear and OTC medicine for Hope Seals’ outreaches.
Hope Seals is a registered non -profit organisation with the Human Services Ministry. Its board consists of 13 members plus another 20 ordinary members. The board meets twice monthly to plan outreaches to different communities it identifies through social workers, churches, the ministry of social protection and other entities. Most of the monthly outreaches are financed by the contribution of board members and donations from supporters.
The organisation’s objectives are to create opportunities for voluntary service by its members to the less fortunate and vulnerable people in our society through charitable outreaches; to raise funds through fund-raising activities, charitable donations of cash and kind from both local and overseas supporters, to help the organisation in carrying out its mandate of charitable outreach to the less fortunate and vulnerable people in our societies; to provide charity in the form of food, clothing, monetary support, and medical outreach to the less fortunate groups, such as single parents with children and the elderly; to set a positive example of selfless service and outreach through its members to its beneficiaries in order to create an uplifting and nurturing environment; and to ensure that all beneficiaries can have their basic need for food and clothing met and their human dignity preserved and protected.
“On December 17, 2017 we plan to launch ‘Hope Seals Kids – Blessing In A Bag’ where 50 children and 20 families from ‘Plastic City’, Ruimveldt Riverview and other areas will benefit from our outreach work. This youth arm is led by Chelsea Hutson and other children of board members to meet the specific needs of children of vulnerable families who we meet on outreaches. Our motto is: ‘No Child Goes Hungry & Left Behind’,” Lester noted.
Additionally, he stated that the organisation plans to acquire a bus to provide mobile medical outreach services, and also to build a soup kitchen.
For more information, call 231-7512 or visit Hope Seals Guyana on Facebook. (Guyana Times Sunday Magazine)
