JASY Camp 2017

Select members of First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford, NY, who had ties to Jamaica, sought to do mission work in Kingston. Monsignor Albert, a Jamaican Catholic Priest, told them that the best thing we could do for Jamaica was have American youth working alongside the Jamaican youth.  Quickly after that, First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford set out to connect with a local Jamaican group.

 

They soon found St. Patrick's Foundation. "The Foundation seeks to alleviate human suffering and offer support to people in poor communities throughout Jamaica, in an effort to empower them to become self reliant and responsible citizens.  Through their three community centers, the Foundation provides resourceful development skills training in various fields."  St. Patrick's Foundation thought that their mission statement, as stated above, aligned greatly with the ideas that the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford had for a cross-cultural growing experience among youth.

 

Consequently...JASY was formed in October 2006, as a charitable Mission Outreach and Youth Ministry program by the First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford, NY and St. Patrick's Foundation, Kingston, Jamaica for the benefit of underprivileged children in Kingston.

  

A weeklong Sports Training camp was held for 62 Jamaican Children in 2007 with the number of children served in 2008 increasing to 108.  Over 1,500 children have participated in JASY Camp Programs to date.

 

In 2008, First Presbyterian Church of Pittsford joined with St. John Fisher College in Rochester, NY to continue the running of JASY camp year after year. Youth Ministry volunteers from First Presbyterian Church, Pittsford NY and St. John Fisher College, Rochester, NY plan and coordinate annual JASY Sports Training Camp activities under the guidance of professionally trained and certified volunteer Sports Program Directors every year.   

 

In 2009 JASY received recognition and endorsement from the Office of the Prime Minister as a key program supporting the efforts of the Jamaica National Transformation Program.  Since then, JASY has seen tremendous support from the American Embassy in Jamaica as well as Corporations from both Jamaica and America. More importantly, JASY HAS CHANGED LIVES. Gang violence has diminished, children who once had no future are now attending High School and University, and the youth of Jamaica are learning once again how to dream.