As part of our ongoing fundraising efforts to provide life-saving resources to the people of Jamaica, we are hosting our biannual “For the Children” concert on Saturday, June 1, 2019, at Couples Sans Souci in Ocho Rios.  We are thrilled to be welcoming back the Issa Trust Foundation’s goodwill ambassadors, Air Supply, along with Third World.

The funds raised from the event will enable the Issa Trust Foundation to continue its work improving healthcare facilities throughout Jamaica, this year focusing specifically on the Annotto Bay and the Savanna La Mar Hospitals’ pediatric and neonatal wards.

Chairman, Paul Issa and President & CEO, Diane Pollard, is pleased to announce the appointment of Her Excellency, the Most Honourable Lady Allen, as Patron. Lady Allen joins her husband, His Excellency, The Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, Governor General of Jamaica, who has acted in this capacity since 2011.

The Issa Trust Foundation, the non-profit organization founded by Couples Resorts in 2005 and headed by Chairman, Paul Issa and President & CEO, Diane Pollard, is pleased to announce the appointment of Her Excellency, the Most Honourable Lady Allen, as Patron. Lady Allen joins her husband, His Excellency, The Most Hon. Sir Patrick Allen, Governor General of Jamaica, who has acted in this capacity since 2011.

Lady Allen began nursing training at the Northern Caribbean University’s (NCU) Nursing Department while serving as the Institution’s Dean of Women. She migrated to the USA with her family and completed the Bachelor of Science Degree in Nursing at the Andrews University, Berrien Spring, Michigan and later served in several senior positions at health care facilities in Michigan.

Between 2002 and 2007, she joined the faculty of NCU where she served as Lecturer in the Department of Nursing and later as the University’s Human Resource Director.

A passionate advocate for children and the elderly, Lady Allen now works with teens and young adults in several state-run juvenile facilities and children’s homes. Once per week, she visits the Bustamante Hospital for Children and reads for the children. She was also instrumental in the establishment of the play and learning stimulation room for patients at the Hospital. Diane Pollard, President & CEO of the Issa Trust Foundation, stated, “we are thankful for Her Excellency, Lady Allen’s acceptance as Patron of the Foundation. She is extremely driven and works tirelessly with compassion and commitment to make a difference for our youth. Over the years, Lady Allen has attended our Vision Missions and Medical Missions, spending time mentoring children and educators.”

Contact: Alexandra Ghisays (Couples Resorts)
Public Relations Officer, Issa Trust Foundation
Email: alex@couples.com
Cell: 361 4762

Taken from the Jamaica Observer

A total of 887 children received eye examinations over three days of free Vision Clinics in Westmoreland last month.

Of that number, 172 received glasses, a recent release from the Issa Trust Foundation said.

The foundation, the non-profit arm of Couples Resorts, in conjunction with the Lions of Michigan Vision Mission Team, held the clinics for students at Savanna-La-Mar Primary School from October 17-19, and provided comprehensive eye exams to test the health of each child’s eyes and whether they needed glasses to improve their vision.

The release said the glasses were provided by the Lions Club team free of cost.

The mission team consisted of four optometrists, two medical doctors, a licensed optician, and five volunteer technicians who assisted in vision testing and in fitting the glasses.

According to the foundation, all the glasses provided were previously used glasses that had been collected, sorted, cleaned, measured and shipped from the United States to Jamaica. The Lions Club team used a computer programme to search for the best glasses that they have in their supply, closest to the child’s prescription needs.

In addition to the students examined, the Issa Trust Foundation said a Vision Clinic was also held at Couples Swept Away for the adult staff of that hotel and Couples Negril, where 329 employees were seen and 220 received glasses.

Lions Clubs International is the largest service organisation in the world with 1.4 million male and female members from 210 countries, the release said.