A golden giver helping families

SAMANTHA PERSAD, a 27-year-old mother who resides in east Trinidad has started a one-man charity foundation to make a difference in the lives of the less fortunate, and by extension the better for our society.

The foundation called Golden Givers which she started about a year ago is engaged in collecting book bags, school shoes, lunch bags, stationery, and all necessary school supplies, then to distribute to childen so that they will be well prepared for the new school term in September.

Persad says items don’t necessarily have to be brand new but if they are not, donors ought to make sure items are in a good condition. Persad wants to help children succeed in whatever their goals are. She said, “One of my biggest dreams is to assist as many people as I can in any way possible. Over the years I’ve always wanted to start a small organisation to do so but somehow never really put the effort into doing it until about one year ago.”

She doesn’t have a warehouse for the supplies but for now she works out of two homes, one in Arima and the other in Sangre Grande.

She recently handed out grocery hampers from generous donations to a number of people from all over the country.

Asked what got her thinking about embarking on this noble gesture she said, “I found it really important to actually make this move and start fulfilling this mission because everyday I see a situation where I can actually try to help make a difference and sitting here without actually putting out the effort to help won’t change anything. To me, everyone has a calling in life and I think my own is to make a difference or change in my community and country when coming to poverty.”

She hastened to add, “I can’t do this alone but I think if there’s a voice, the crowd will eventually follow. For now, I do the best I can. I find families in need and try to source what they need through social media, family and friends.”

Persad, who has a five-year-old and is three months pregnant with her second child said she takes one day each week and drives from Sangre Grande to whatever destination help is coming from, in order to meet someone who is willing to donate towards the families that she has committed herself to helping at any given time.

But generally her work is not only dealing with schoolchildren. Persad said one day while reading a newspaper story where a young family was living in squalor in Tabaquite, she immediately posted a clipping of the story on her Facebook page and people responded. Then, after getting some supplies together with other items donated by her Facebook followers, she took all items to the family. Some of the items included clothes, groceries, a gas tank, toys, water and disposable diapers, also others helped build an appropriate home for the family.

Persad said, “Throughout the year I try to assist anyone. No particular age group but from now until September I’m trying to focus on back-to-school items. My aim is to gather as many book bags, lunch bags, school shoes and stationery as I can, to distribute to kids that aren’t fortunate enough to secure their education.”

Asked how are the items sourced without sponsors she said, “For now I’m posting on the charity page Golden Giver and I’m also posting on my personal Facebook page asking the public to assist in any way they can. If there is a more than generous response to any situation, I will split the supplies and give to other needy cases. However, to me right now, the more kids that get the opportunity to secure their education and have less free time on their hands, the better for our country.”

Making a plug for support she said, “Why not come together and try to improve our country? It’s so unfair for kids to be deprived from a sound education. A good education equips a person for life, not just a career.”

Persad said she is trying to distribute the supplies by the end of July so anyone willing to assist can contact her at 496-4792 or message the Facebook page, Golden Givers.

Supplies can also be dropped off at Sammy’s Poultry Depot on St Joseph Street, Arima.